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Jauzion wants French focused

France centre Yannick Jauzion has urged his team to maintain its focus ahead of Friday night's game against Wales as it bids to continue its march to the Six Nations title.

Thursday, 25 February 2010

Sportal.co.nz

France centre Yannick Jauzion has urged his team to maintain its focus ahead of Friday night's game against Wales as it bids to continue its march to the Six Nations title.

After defeating Scotland 18-9 at Murrayfield in the opening round and claiming a 33-10 win in a highly-impressive display against 2009 Grand Slam winner Ireland last time out, Marc Lievremont's troops are favourites for the title.

Despite their impressive run, Jauzion knows they will have to give an even more polished performance at the Millennium Stadium.

"The match against Ireland was full of solidarity and determination," said the veteran centre. "But there are also quite a few things to look at again.

"We knew how to step up our rhythm with regards to the Scotland game. We took it up a notch but we will have to do that again against Wales because it will be even more difficult.

"What's important is to work with continuity. It's not enough to be good just one time."

France is perfectly poised at the top of the table and victory would take it two points clear of England, which plays Ireland the following day.

However, Wales is also heading into the match in buoyant mood following its 31-24 win over Scotland, which featured 17 unanswered points in the final four minutes.

France was defeated 29-12 on its last trip to Cardiff two years ago and Jauzion has warned his team against over-confidence.

"It's certain victory over Ireland was a step forwards. We realised that it was a difficult match and that we had to apply ourselves.

"It's important to win these type of matches but we shouldn't get carried away.

"The Welsh know very well that we want to win at their stadium. I know that they will be ready."

Jauzion will again line up with controversial central partner Mathieu Bastareaud, who is emerging as one of the revelations of the tournaments.

But Lievremont has been forced into changes for the trip to Cardiff, with injury forcing prolific wing Vincent Clerc and indomitable flanker Fulgence Ouedraogo out of the Millennium Stadium encounter.

Bayonne's Benjamin Fall replaced Clerc, but he also had to withdraw from the squad on Thursday after suffering an ankle injury in training and his place is taken by Julien Malzieu of Clermont Auvergne.

Malzieu's experienced team-mate Julien Bonnaire takes over from Ouedraogo in the back-row alongside captain Thierry Dusautoir and No.8 Imanol Harinordoquy.

Stade Francais lock Pascal Pape also suffered an ankle injury in training and has been replaced by Bourgoin's Julien Pierre with former Sale forward Sebastien Chabal coming on to the replacements' bench.

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