TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2014 SPORTS France call up uncapped Stade trio, but no Michalak MARCOUSSIS: Stade Francais saw their surging Top with Saint-Andre, having only played a total of 85 nance granted the Stade backs by their rock-solid Squad 14 form rewarded when a trio of uncapped players minutes in 2013 in five matches in a variety of posi- set-piece play and has proved himself steady under Forwards (16): Thomas Domingo (Clermont), were yesterday called up for France’s Six Nations tions. “There were talks over Jules Plisson and the high ball, thus earning a second call-up to a Yannick Forestier (Castres), Benjamin Kayser squad, notably fly-half Jules Plisson ahead of the Francois again this morning,” Saint-Andre admitted. France squad. Racing-Metro scrum-half Maxime (Clermont), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing-Metro), experienced Francois Trinh-Duc and Frederic “Francois is making a massive effort and he’s almost Machenaud, back from injury, is named alongside Nicolas Mas (Montpellier), Rabah Slimani (Stade Michalak. Coach Philippe Saint-Andre also handed there, but Jules Plisson is currently putting in some Toulouse’s Jean-Marc Doussain, in place of Morgan Francais), Alexandre Flanquart (Stade Francais), call-ups to storming blindside flanker Antoine high-quality performances. Parra and Jonathan Pelissie. Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Pascal Pape (Stade Burban and full-back Hugo Bonneval, while Castres “We’ve picked the most in-form and confident Among the centres, Toulon’s Mathieu Bastareaud Francais), Sebastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan), full-back Geoffrey Palis is included in a national players of the moment.” Turning to Michalak, Saint- takes the place of Florian Fritz, unavailable through Antoine Burban (Stade Francais), Thierry squad for the first time. Andre said: “Frederic was the starter in last year’s Six injuries sustained in a motorbike accident. The team Dusautoir (Toulouse, capt), Bernard Le Roux Plisson, 22, has been at the play-making heart of Nations and he played exceptionally in the are set to wind up their preparations for the tourna- (Racing-Metro), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Stade Francais’ surge to second in the highly com- November 2012 Tests. “But he got injured and is cur- ment, won last year by Wales, at a training camp Damien Chouly (Clermont), Louis Picamoles petitive Top 14, even up against the skills and kick- rently lacking game time. He needs more time.” beginning on January 19 in Canet-en-Rousillon. (Toulouse) ing ability of teammate Morne Steyn, the current Burban’s defensive workrate and scavenging France open their campaign on February 1 when Backs (14): Jean-Marc Doussain (Toulouse), Springbok fly-half. skills have seen him establish himself as arguably they host England at the Stade de France. Saint- Maxime Machenaud (Racing-Metro), Jules Plisson In the absence of the injured Camille Lopez, the leading flanker in the French league. The 26- Andre will be hoping 2014 makes for better reading (Stade Francais), Remi Tales (Castres), Mathieu Plisson was preferred by Saint-Andre to Michalak, year-old has benefited from the absence through than last year, when France lost eight of their 11 Bastareaud (Toulon), Gael Fickou (Toulouse), who has played only once for Toulon since the end injury of Racing-Metro rival Wenceslas Lauret for his Tests, drawing another and winning just two. Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Maxime Mermoz of November, and Montpellier’s Trinh-Duc, who can inclusion in the 30-man squad and he and Toulouse It was the national team’s worst record since (Toulon), Sofiane Guitoune (Perpignan), Yoann count himself unlucky to miss out. No 8 Louis Picamoles are the sole additions up front 1980, but concerted efforts will now be made to get Huget (Toulouse), Maxime Medard (Toulouse), Although previous coach Marc Lievremont’s pre- from the forwards who disputed the November back on track in time for the 2015 Rugby World Cup Geoffrey Palis (Castres), Hugo Bonneval (Stade ferred starting No 10, Trinh-Duc is not a favourite internationals. Bonneval has thrived off the domi- in England. Francais), Brice Dulin (Castres). — AFP Over-heated Sousa takes Dakar opener SAN LUIS: Portugal’s Carlos Sousa, driving a Haval, claimed the opening stage of the 36th Dakar Rally on Sunday, but double defending champion Stephane Peterhansel lost time after suffering a puncture. Sousa finished the 180km special from Rosario to San Luis in 2hr 20min 36sec with Argentina’s Orlando Terranova, in a Mini, 11 seconds behind and fellow Mini driver, Qatar’s 2011 champion Nasser Al- KIROV: In this photo provided by Olympictorch2014.com, Olympic torch bearers Attiyah, in third, 47 seconds back. Vyacheslav Kokorin, left, and Konstantin Bakulev hold Olympic torches during the Sousa said he “suffered like a dog” after his torch relay in Kirov, Russia, Sunday. The relay for the Sochi Winter Games, which Chinese-made Haval over-heated, sending dirty air began on Oct 7, 2013 in Moscow, will pass through many cities that showcase the into the driver’s compartment. “Our car doesn’t have historical, cultural and ethnic richness of Russia. — AP air conditioning and all the air inlets got clogged. After 50 kilometres, the turbo air outlet broke down SOCHI OLYMPICS and sent all the air directly towards me,” he said. “It must have got hotter than 70 degrees centi- grade and we had trouble breathing. The reason I The good and the bad drove so fast was that I wanted to get out of that inferno, but I really thought we wouldn’t make it. “We suffered like dogs to earn it.” France’s LONDON: Today marks the 1-month countdown stored up 450,000 cubic meters of snow. Also Peterhansel, in a third Mini, and seeking a 12th over- to the start of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, a worth noting: flooding and avalanches are com- all title (after six on motorcycles and five in cars), defining moment on the world stage for Russia mon in the region. suffered a puncture and was down in sixth place, and Vladimir Putin. These games are among the 4min 21sec behind Sousa. most contentious in Olympic history, embroiled RECORD COST: $51 billion. That’s the overall “At 30km before the finish we had a flat tyre. SAN LUIS: Mini driver Orlando Terranova, of Argentina, and co-pilot Paulo Fiuza, of Portugal, in controversy over terrorist threats, human price tag for the games, by far the most expen- Apart from the flat, I had good feelings with the car race during the first stage of the Dakar Rally between the cities of Rosario and San Luis in San rights, gay rights, cost overruns, corruption and sive in history, summer or winter, and more than and the special. True, it wasn’t a great start, since environmental damage. But is it all doom and three times the budget of the 2012 London losing three minutes in such a short special is noth- Luis, Argentina, Sunday. — AP gloom for Putin’s pet project? Before the Olympic Games. The cost includes the long-term invest- ing to write home about, but it’s a start nonetheless,” Despres, the champion in 2005, 2007, 2010, 2012 D-Day comes, it feels good to be racing again.” cauldron is lit on Feb. 7, it’s time for a look at the ment in roads, tunnels, railways and ski facilities. said Peterhansel. and 2013, said it had been an emotional day for him This year, 431 vehicles, taking part in the auto, good and the bad for Russia’s first Winter Games. Everything has been built from scratch as Russia Honda’s Joan Barreda clocked a time of 2hr on his debut for Yamaha, having switched from KTM motorbike, quad and lorry events, will cross seeks to turn Sochi into a year-round tourist des- 25min 31sec to take the motorcycle stage with this year. “I took some time to find my bearings and Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. But they could run into The negatives: tination. The costs have soared way above previ- Spanish compatriot Marc Coma, on a KTM, 37 sec- ease into my pace,” said Despres. environmental protests along the way with fears TERROR THREAT: The two bombings in ous projections amid allegations of financial mis- onds behind. Frenchman Cyril Despres, the defend- “The first special is always tough when you come over the impact of the race on the world’s highest Volgograd - which killed 34 people in suicide management, corruption and favors doled out to ing champion and seeking a sixth career title, was in from cold Europe and you get thrown into the thick salt flats at Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, despite only the attacks on the rail station and a trolley bus - have oligarchs and Putin’s friends. So what’s the good third, 1min 40sec off the provisional leader. of things, so I’m happy to get good feelings. “I got a motorcycles being allowed to cross into the country. escalated the security alarm. Sochi is located on news then? Yes, there are things to look forward “I’m really happy with the first stage. At the bit emotional at the start, what with starting a new In Chile, concerns have been raised over possible the edge of the Caucasus region, where insur- to. Here’s a sampling: beginning I had some trouble easing into the race adventure... It was a difficult year, with the decision damage caused by the vehicles roaring over the Inca gents are seeking to create an Islamic state. due to a slight problem with the suspension, but to move to Yamaha, and then having to prepare the Trail. The second stage of the race on Monday is over Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov has urged NEW SPORTS: Twelve new events are on the afterwards everything went smoothly,” said Barreda.