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France`s fraternal force

Monday 23rd June 2008

Brotherly bond: Matthieu Li�vremont

After having to give up on France's tour to New Zealand last year, Dax flank Matthieu Li�vremont will have the rare honour of playing for Les Bleus under the guidance of his brother, Marc, in Australia.

With France's selection team in the unenviable position of having to choose a squad for an overseas tour without the players from the country's top four clubs, seeing a few new faces pull on the blue jersey was inevitable.

But after a impressive season for Dax few eyebrows would have been raised concerning Matthieu Li�vremont's selection if it had not been made his older brother.

Even if he deserves his selection Li�vremont is under no illusions that, at 32 years of age, he will not be a permanent fixture in the French team in the long term.

"I'm happy [with my selection] but I didn't expect it. My brother decided to play the youth card during the Six Nations. I didn't expect it and nobody told me in advance. I'm relaxed," Li�vremont told Lesite shortly after the squad was announced.

It was the other Li�vremont brother, future Dax coach Thomas, who gave him the good news.

"I would have understood if he didn't pick me," said the player.

"It's quite funny to be together in the French team. It wasn't that case for very long at Dax.

" I would have liked it to last longer because that was one of the main reasons for me to come to the club. ( Marc Li�vremont was the coach at Dax before being named France coach).

"It's a real regret and we're going to try catch up for lost time.

"I'm satisfied but at 32, this selection is nothing more than a bonus for me. I'm not going to jump for joy. It's always been in my personality. I know that I'm not a player for the future and that the selectors had to make do with a lot of absentees.

"I'm not questioning myself. Above all I'm going to enjoy myself. I don't have a stereotypical style of play, I try to have fun, to run, get my hands on the ball and launch some attacking play. I'm a lot like Marc in that regard."

The tour to Australia will go a long way in making up for the disappointment of missing last year's tour to New Zealand due to injury.

"I should have gone to New Zealand but I got injured in the last match of the season," he said

"This year I haven't been injured. It's a bit of luck but we all need it sometimes. I was a bit frustrated to not have gone on tour against the All Blacks. But those are the hazards of rugby.

"I've already been to Australia with the France 'A' side six years ago. I know it a bit. It's a rugby country.

"I think it will be interesting, especially for our style of play. I prefer the Australians to the South Africans who have a more stereotypical style of play."

Dax have had a poor season, finishing second from bottom on the Top 14 table, yet have two players in the touring party, (Renaud Boyoud was also selected following Julien Brugnaut's call up during the Six Nations). Matthieu Li�vremont points out that his experience counted for a lot in his selection.

"One shouldn't forget that the semi-finalists will be absent. That makes for a lot of players left out," the flank commented.

"There are also more and more foreigners in our championship. Even if at 32, I don't have experience at the highest level since I don't have any caps, I've been around for a while. Marc was also the coach of Dax and he knows the potential certain players have."