Vahaamahina returns for France

Editor

France head coach Guy Novès has made one change to his side for their final match of the Six Nations at home to Wales this Saturday.

Experienced lock Sébastien Vahaamahina returns in the second row to take the place of Julien le Devedec, who drops to the bench replacing Paul Jedrasiak.

France otherwise are unchanged, as Brice Dulin forms a back three with Noa Nakaitaci and Virimi Vakatawa.

In midfield Rémi Lamerat and Gaël Fickou combine for the fifth time in the Championship, with current Six Nations top points scorer Camille Lopez and Baptiste Serin at half-back.

Brive flanker Fabien Sanconnie wins his second cap in the back row, playing alongside Kévin Gourdon and Louis Picamoles, with Vahaamahina joining Yoann Maestri in the second row.

Guilhem Guirado once again captains the team on his 51st cap, joined up front by props Cyril Baille and Rabah Slimani.

Camille Chat returns on the bench to take the place of Christopher Tolofua, as does Damien Chouly ahead of Bernard le Roux.

France: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Noa Nakaitaci, 13 Rémi Lamerat, 12 Gaël Fickou, 11 Virimi Vakatawa, 10 Camille Lopez, 9 Baptiste Serin, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Kévin Gourdon, 6 Fabien Sanconnie, 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Sébastien Vahaamahina, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Guilhem Guirado (c), 1 Cyril Baille
Replacements: 16 Camille Chat, 17 Uini Atonio, 18 Eddy Ben Arous, 19 Julien Le Devedec, 20 Bernard Le Roux, 21 Antoine Dupont, 22 François Trinh-Duc, 23 Yoann Huget

Date: Saturday, March 18
Venue: Stade de France, Paris
Kick-off: 15:45 local (14:45 GMT)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Matthew Carley (England)
TMO: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)