Rugby Digest/Six Nations:Olivier Milloud is expecting a tough battle up front if he replaces the injured Sylvain Marconnet for France's Six Nations Championship clash against England on Sunday.
The Bourgoin prop is set to be thrown into battle at Twickenham following the injury suffered by frontrow veteran Marconnet at the weekend.
Marconnet, who has 71 caps, fractured his fibula and tibia on a skiing holiday, and is facing a five-month stint on the sidelines.
Milloud appears to be the beneficiary of the Stade Français player's misfortune, and he admits the task awaiting him on Sunday is immense, despite the world champions' recent capitulation against Ireland.
"We must be vigilant because England, who are coming off a heavy (43-13) defeat at Croke Park, will be trying to bounce back," said Milloud. "They must make amends and show their true face."
THOMAS BACK:Gareth Thomas has been named on the bench as Wales chase their first Six Nations win of the campaign against Italy in Rome on Saturday.
He missed the first three rounds of the tournament after being suspended for aggressive behaviour towards spectators during Toulouse's fractious European Cup win over Ulster on January 21st.
He said: "It was a really horrible atmosphere, one of the worst I've come across, and the only thing I was trying to do was front up for my team-mate. I knew I had done something wrong and I regretted it but I also believed I had acted honourably."
Kevin Morgan has been given the all-clear after surgery on the jaw he fractured during the 21-9 defeat to Scotland on February 10th and replaces Lee Byrne.
WORLD CUP:The International Rugby Board (IRB) is confident Auckland's Eden Park will complete its upgrade well in time to host the 2011 World Cup final. The ruling body's executive committee, meeting in Auckland, said work at the stadium was on course despite issues over its financing.
"We're very happy. We don't expect we'll need a contingency plan," IRB chairman Syd Millar said after a meeting with New Zealand Rugby Union chairman Jock Hobbs. "On the information we have the stadium should be ready 18 months before we need it."
The IRB will also discuss reducing the number of teams taking part in the World Cup from 20 to 16, introducing an integrated calendar for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and helping Argentina find an annual competition to play in.
AUSTRALIA:Wallabies winger Lote Tuqiri is awaiting a final offer from the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) before deciding whether to return to rugby league, local media reported yesterday.
The ARU is reportedly ready to offer a new contract to secure the 27-year-old New South Wales Waratahs player for this year's World Cup.
"The intention is it's not going to be open-ended in terms of time," ARU chief executive Gary Flowers said. "We are not going to be hanging around waiting forever for a response."
ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP:Bristol prop Jason Hobson has been cited for the alleged punch which put England captain Phil Vickery out of Sunday's clash against France at Twickenham.
Hobson, who has already been banned for two weeks by his club, will face a Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing in London next Tuesday.
