Bleus pivot: Frédéric Michalak
France coach Philippe Saint-André has named Frédéric Michalak at fly-half in a much-changed team to face Australia in Paris on Saturday.
In total there are 13 changes to the starting team that lost to the Wallabies the last time these teams met, in 2010.
Castres prop Yannick Forestier will make his Test debut having been named ahead of Thomas Domingo, who must settle for a place on the bench.
Accompanying Michalak at in the half-backs will be Maxime Machenaud, who made his debut alongside the 30-year-old in the last match played by Les Bleus, a 59-10 rout of Argentina.
It means a spot on the bench for the influential Morgan Parra, the accomplished Clermont scrum-half undoubtedly assured of a valuable role in the second half. Michalak will take the goal kicking duties.
"The selections follow the logic of the last Test in Argentina when we were happy with Maxime and Frederic Michalak," said Saint-André.
"The choice was also made more simple by the fact that Morgan has only been able to train for three days."
Clermont centre Wesley Fofana has been shifted to the wing to while Toulouse battering ram Florian Fritz teams up with Perpignan's Maxime Mermoz in midfield.
In the back row, Yannick Nyanga will play the role usually filled by absent skipper Thierry Dusauatoir.
Amongst the replacements, Toulon lock Jocelino Suta will win his first cap if he comes off the bench.
France: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Wesley Fofana, 13 Florian Fritz , 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Vincent Clerc, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Maxime Machenaud, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 6 Yannick Nyanga, 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Pascal Papé (c), 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski, 1 Yannick Forestier.
Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Thomas Domingo, 18 Vincent Debaty, 19 Jocelino Suta, 20 Damien Chouly, 21 Morgan Parra, 22 Francois Trinh-Duc, 23 Yoann Huget.
Date: Saturday, November 10
Kick-off: 21:00 local (20:00 GMT)
Venue: Stade de France, Paris
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: John Lacey (Ireland), Neil Paterson (Scotland)
Television match official: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
Comments
philip274 says...
Thrilled to see Freddie back! Had some thrilling performances in the Sharks jersey, hope he emulates for his country!
Posted 09:53 08th November 2012