No selfishness from French players, says skipper Pape
PARIS (Reuters) - The French team to face England on Saturday will be playing for each other and not their own places in the World Cup squad, captain Pascal Pape promised on Friday.
After giving many of their reserves a run-out at Twickenham last week, when England won 19-14, both countries have picked something much closer to a full-strength side with the date for reducing World Cup squads to 31 players little more than a week away.
England have made 14 changes from Twickenham and France 12.
"Obviously there's a bit of stress but we are all professionals, so we won't have any issues with individuals playing for themselves to make the (final) list of 31," Pape told a news conference.
"I think everyone has understood individualism doesn't really work in rugby nowadays."
Asked if this was a make-or-break test for players desperate to make the squad, Pape said: "The specific 23 don't regard this as a test. All 36 players are conscious of being tested for the Rugby World Cup list.
"(The game) is another step to the Rugby World Cup, we are keen to show France that we are in form."
Pape, the Stade Francais lock, was not keen to dwell on having missed a large part of the year through suspension after he received a 10-week ban for kneeing Jamie Heaslip of Ireland in the back during February's Six Nations match.
"I may be a little bit more keen than others to put on the blue jersey again simply because of the way I left it," he said.
"There are other boys on the team with leadership characteristics and I'm sure I will have all their support on the pitch. So this captaincy doesn't really put any stress on me."
In the World Cup, which takes place in England and Wales from Sept. 18, France play in pool D with Ireland, Italy, Canada and Romania.
(Reporting by Francois Thomazeau, writing by Steve Tongue; editing by Clare Fallon)
