Rugby World Cup 2011: France omit Marconnet & Domingo

Marconnet (in the head guard) is a surprise omission from the France squad

Props Sylvain Marconnet and Thomas Domingo have been omitted from France's 30-man squad for the World Cup.

Coach Marc Lievremont had been expected to leave out Fabien Barcella, who spent a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering an Achilles injury last year.

Instead he dropped Marconnet, 35, who has 84 caps, and Domingo, who has been struggling with a knee problem.

Lievremont announced the squad after France's 26-22 win over Ireland in their final World Cup warm-up match.

He admitted: "It was a difficult choice. I always said the best two props in France were Thomas [Domingo] and Fabian [Barcella] and I said I hoped to retain one in the squad, and that's the decision I've made.

"I was also surprised by the progress of Jean-Baptiste Poux and Luke Ducalcon."

Marconnet missed the 2007 World Cup in France after breaking his leg in a skiing accident. Barcella ruptured his Achilles tendon in August 2010 and although he featured in France's 26-22 win over Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, he looked short of full fitness.

The World Cup takes place from 9 September to 23 October in New Zealand and France, who have never won the trophy, are in Pool A along with Japan, Canada, New Zealand and Tonga.

Full France squad:

Forwards: (17)

Props: Fabien Barcella, Luc Ducalcon, Nicolas Mas, Jean-Baptiste Poux. Hookers: Guilhem Guirado, William Servat, Dimitri Szarzewski. Locks: Romain Millo-Chluski, Lionel Nallet, Pascal Pape, Julien Pierre. Back-rows: Julien Bonnaire, Thierry Dusautoir (captain), Imanol Harinordoquy, Raphael Lakafia, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Louis Picamoles.

Backs: (13)

Full-backs/wings: Vincent Clerc, Patrice Estebanez, Cedric Heymans, Maxime Medard, Alexis Palisson. Centres: David Marty, Maxime Mermoz, Aurelien Rougerie, Damien Traille. Fly-halves: David Skrela, Francois Trinh-Duc Scrum-halves: Morgan Parra, Dimitri Yachvili.