Lauret replaces injured Ducalcon in French Six Nations squad

Backrow forward Wenceslas Lauret was called up on Sunday to France's squad for next Friday's Six Nations game with two-time defending champions Wales after experienced prop Luc Ducalcon was ruled out because of injury. Lauret, capped five times, missed the beginning of the Six Nations -- which saw the French make their best start to the tournament since they won their last Grand Slam in 2010 -- because of injury. However, the 24-year-old made a successful return to action for his club Racing-Metro in Saturday's 18-8 Top 14 victory over Bayonne in which his clubmate Ducalcon injured his knee. Ducalcon, capped 17 times, had been called up as a replacement in the 30 man squad for prop Rabah Slimani, who was suspended for two weeks after being sent off in last Sunday's 30-10 win over Italy which followed the thrilling opening 26-24 victory over England. France head coach Philippe Saint-Andre has opted, following Ducalcon's injury, to revert to a direct replacement for backrow forward Bernard Le Roux, who has been stood down for two weeks because of the concussion he received at the end of the Italy game. Lauret last played for France in the November Tests against world champions New Zealand and South Africa.   There was by contrast no update on centre Mathieu Bastareaud, who said after playing for Toulon on Saturday he had a painful right shoulder. Saint-Andre -- who had sparked a club versus country row when he pleaded with the Top 14 clubs not to play players who had started both the games against England and Italy -- will name his starting XV on Wednesday. Revised squad: Forwards: Thomas Domingo (Clermont), Yannick Forestier (Castres), Brice Mach (Castres), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing-Metro), Vincent Debaty (Clermont), Nicolas Mas (Montpellier), Alexandre Flanquart (Stade Francais), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Pascal Pape (Stade Francais), Sebastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan), Virgile Bruni (Toulon), Ibrahim Diarra (Castres), Alexandre Lapandry (Clermont), Wenceslas Lauret (Racing-Metro), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Damien Chouly (Clermont), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse) Backs: Jean-Marc Doussain (Toulouse), Maxime Machenaud (Racing-Metro), Jules Plisson (Stade Français), Remi Talès (Castres), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Gael Fickou (Toulouse), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon), Marc Andreu (Racing-Metro), Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Maxime Medard (Toulouse), Hugo Bonneval (Stade Français), Brice Dulin (Castres) Source: AFP