Monday Round-Up

February 22, 2016
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Ultimate Rugby

Monday Round-Up

France make admin error on Smith

David Smith's elation at being called up for France's Six Nations side by coach Guy Noves was short lived when it was discovered that he is ineligible to play for the side.

Smith, who currently plays for Castres, was tipped to be a French resident as he has played in the country since 2011 but he played a Rugby Sevens match for New Zealand in 2008.

France are on the hunt for a winger replacement after injuries to Teddy Thomas and Marvin O'Connor, but Smith is not Guy Noves guy.

World Rugby's Regulation 8.2 says: "A Player who has played for the senior... National Representative Sevens Team of a Union is not eligible to play for... another Union."

It seems that Smith's documentation was not as diligently scrutinised by the French rugby federation (FFR) as they should have been.

"When he arrived, David told us he'd played an international Sevens tournament in Edinburgh in 2008 for New Zealand," said an FFR statement.

"For that reason, David is not eligible for the French national XV team due to the international regulations and will be released on Monday morning."

Coincidentally, France football coach Didier Dechamps also made a similar error last night, admitting he was looking into selecting Senegal international Kouilbaly who has 5 caps for his country.

Burrell back in England fold

Eddie Jones has brought back Northampton Saints centre Luther Burrell into the England mix after an Bath centre Ollie Devoto suffered an concussion.

Burrell made his last appearance for England in a World Cup warm up game against France, but didn't make Stuart Lancaster's 31 man squad.

Jones has added 9 new faces to the training squad for England's clash with Ireland at Twickenham next Saturday.

Josh Beaumont will stay with Sale after dislocating his shoulder and will not be considered for selection this weekend.

Gloucester flanker Matt Kvesic, Northampton prop Kieran Brookes, Wasps prop Matt Mullan and Exeter hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie have also been called up to bolster Jones’s forward options.

In the backs, Exeter's Sam Hill, Harlequins' Marland Yarde and Bath’s Semesa Rokoduguni all link up with the squad.