France offer Six Nations reprieve to Bastareaud
Ticket holders to France's Six Nations opener against Scotland will get a chance to see one of the countries most controversial players.
France coach Marc Lievremont has picked centre Mathieu Bastareaud, the player who raised false allegations of assault while on tour in New Zealand last year.
Lievremont said he hoped the Stade Francais player had matured since the incident.
"Mathieu called himself into question. We hope that what happened a few months ago helped him to grow up.
"We just hope he will confirm his good performances with his club on Sunday."
Bastareaud was given a three-month suspended ban and was ordered to do community service with amateur rugby when it was discovered that injuries suffered when on international duty in June, that he alleged were the result of a violent attack, were actually from a drunken fall in his hotel room.
France begin their Six Nations tournament by taking on Scotland at Murrayfield stadium on Sunday, February 7th before facing Wales the following weekend.
Posted by Samuel Ball
