NEWS ROUND-UP: France prop Pieter De Villiers yesterday escaped punishment for testing positive for cocaine and ecstasy. The French rugby federation's disciplinary committee decided that he could not be banned on doping grounds on a technicality as out-of-competition testing for stimulants such as cocaine are not allowed under French law.
The management committee of the French Rugby Federation will examine the case in the Merrion Hotel in Dublin tomorrow, although the prop is definitely out of Saturday's match against Ireland in Lansdowne Road.
"The squad has already been picked for the game against Ireland in Dublin. He won't be in the squad for Ireland," said French team press officer Lionel Rossigneux last night.
France manager Jo Maso was unavailable for comment, but last month he said that the 30-year- old tighthead would be welcomed back to the national squad. "We want Pieter De Villiers back in the fold. He was an idiot, that cannot be overlooked, but it can be understood," Maso said.
De Villiers has always pleaded his innocence, saying his drinks may have been spiked on a night out in Paris four days before he failed the test. "I'm coming out of this feeling less naive, stronger and more careful. But I have confidence for the future and nightclubs are over for me now," he said.
Welshman Nigel Williams has been named as the referee the Heineken European Cup quarter-final between defending champions Leicester Tigers and Munster while English referee Steve Lander has been appointed to referee Leinster's quarter-final against French side Biarritz in Lansdowne Road.
Irish official Alan Lewis has also been handed one of the four matches and will travel to France for Northampton Saints' clash with Toulouse. English referee Tony Spreadbury has been selected for the Llanelli v Perpignan match.
In the Parker Pen Challenge Cup, Alain Rolland will travel to London to referee the first leg of the Wasps v Pontypridd semi-final on April 12th. David McHugh will take charge of the second leg of the other semi-final between Bath and Saracens in Bath on April 26th.
The Irish under-21 team named yesterday shows only one change from the side that defeated Italy two weeks ago in Italy. Blackrock's John Hearty comes in to the left wing for the injured Dave Warrick for their game against France tomorrow evening in Musgrave Park.
Ireland are looking for their third win in the championship having defeated Scotland in Dundee and more recently Italy by 30-19.
Italy coach John Kirwan named a settled-looking line-up for Sunday's Six Nations encounter with England at Twickenham. Kirwan sprang no surprises with Ramiro Pez, as expected, winning the number 10 jersey in place of Diego Dominguez, who is being rested.
With Cristian Stoica ruled out through injury, Giovanni Raineri will partner Paolo Vaccari in the centre with winger Mauro Bergamasco recovered from the bug that has hampered him this week.
IRELAND UNDER-21: T Bowe (Queen's University); R Lane (UCC), K Matthews (UL Bohemians) B Murphy (UL Bohemians), J Hearty (Blackrock College); M Rainey (Glasgow Hawks), F O'Loughlin (Shannon); E Mc Govern (Old Crescent), R Best (Belfast Harlequins), J Moran (UCD), D Gannon (UCD), N McComb (Dundee High School), J Muldoon (Galwegians), N Ronan (Lansdowne), S Keogh (UCC capt.) Replacements - K Corrigan (UCD), D Fitzpatrick (Belfast Harlequins), S O'Connor (Cork Constitution), C Potts (St Mary's), C O'Loughli
ITALY (v to play England at Twickenham,Sunday): M Bergamasco; Mauro Bergamasco, P Vaccari, G Raineri, D Dallan; R Pez, A Troncon (capt); G De Carli, C Festuccia, R Martinez, C Bezzi, M Giacheri, A De Rossi, A Persico, M Phillips. Replacements: F Ongaro, L Castrogiovanni, A Lo Cicero, M Bortolami, M Mazzantini, G Peens, N Mazzucato.
