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Bastareaud misses out on France's World Cup squad
Jacques Brunel has omitted experienced pair Mathieu Bastareaud and Morgan Parra from his 31-man squad for the Rugby World Cup.
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Neither make the ‘supplement’ list of six players either.
Bastareaud left Toulon in the summer to sign a landmark deal with Major League Rugby outfit Rugby United New York, but featured prominently during this year’s Six Nations for France.
Parra was dropped from Brunel’s France squad during the Six Nations after criticism of the management in the aftermath of the 44-8 defeat to England, after which the scrum half hinted at discord in the camp.
“I think that we are capable of doing what the English do, but are we working on this during training? I think we don’t work on it enough, even not at all,” Parra said.
“Yet these are very simple things that are today part of high-level rugby. We can do this. But do we work on it? No.”
Brunel said at the time it was a “sporting choice” to drop Parra. What won’t have helped his cause this time is the fact the 30-year-old is currently battling with an ankle injury which he picked up while playing for club side Clermont Auvergne.
?? Voici les 37 joueurs retenus pour la préparation de la Coupe du Monde 2019 au Japon ! Il est composé d'un premier groupe de 31 joueurs et de 6 suppléants ! #XVdeFrance #RWC2019 #NeFaisonsXV pic.twitter.com/FeJWbSUmDS
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) June 18, 2019
Parra would certainly have brought plenty of tournament experience, having featured in 2011 and 2015 World Cup’s.
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Racing 92 winger Teddy Thomas, who was punished for a night out in Edinburgh during the Six Nations after France had suffered a 32-26 defeat, was also left out by Brunel.
Prop Uini Atonio also failed to make the cut.
Wesley Fofana, who is retiring from international rugby after the Rugby World Cup, is included in the 31-man list.
Three-time World Cup runners-up France are in Pool C with England, Argentina, USA and Tonga and play their first match of the tournament against Argentina on September 21st in Tokyo.
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Watch: Bastareaud quickly embraces New York
