By Jason Harris
February 6 2003

Saracens duo Christian Califano and Thomas Castaignede have been selected in Bernard Laporte's 22-man France squad to face England at Twickenham in the opening match of the 2003 Six Nations Championship. Califano earns the chance to add to his 65 caps after the revelations that incumbent tight head prop Pieter de Villiers has tested positive for drugs and withdrawn from the squad.

His last cap was in June 2001, just before he ruled himself out of Les Bleus reckoning by joining another set of Blues in Auckland.

Since his return to Europe, Bernard Laporte has been keeping a close eye on the 30-year-old and said that Califano had shown "through his club performances and his physical tests that he was back at his best."

Meanwhile Thomas Castaignede, disenchanted with his lack of on-field time with his club and with coach Wayne Shelford, has been called into the Saracens starting line-up to face Northampton on Saturday. A full preview will be here on thesaracens.com soon.