Antoine Dupont captains France in his first Test match in over 12 months as powerhouse Les Bleus team tackle Eddie Jones’ Japan

Antoine Dupont will mark his return to Test rugby against Eddie Jones’ Japan team on Saturday at the Stade France.

Dupont has not played for Les Bleus since the Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat to the Springboks after opting to miss the Six Nations in order to represent his country at the Paris Olympics.

Antoine Dupont returns

The world-class scrum-half captains the team on his return and links up with Toulouse teammate Thomas Ramos in the halfbacks with Romain Ntamack missing the Autumn Nations Series through injury.

France head coach Fabien Galthie has also issued another Test bow with Bayonne prop Tevita Tatafu debuting at tighthead prop with hooker Peato Mauvaka and loosehead Jean-Baptiste Gros completing the front row.

Toulouse’s Thibaud Flament and Emmanuel Meafou start in the second row with François Cros, Alexandre Roumat and Gregory Alldritt named as the starting loose trio.

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Yoram Moefana and Émilien Gailleton are the starting centres against the Brave Blossoms with Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey lining up on the wings.

With Ramos starting at number ten, Léo Barré starts at fullback earning his fifth Test cap for France.

On the bench, Julien Marchand, Reda Wardi, and Georges-Henri Colombe provide front-row cover in a 5-3 split with Mickaël Guillard and Paul Boudehent the options in the back-five forward roles.

Maxime Lucu is the replacement scrum-half following the injury to Nolann Le Garrec while Matthieu Jalibert and Gael Fickou complete the matchday 23.

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France team v Japan

France: 15 Léo Barré, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Émilien Gailleton, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Thomas Ramos, 9 Antoine Dupont (c), 8 Gregory Alldritt, 7 Alexandre Roumat, 6 François Cros, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Thibaud Flament, 3 Tevita Tatafu, 2 Peato Mauvaka, 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros
Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Reda Wardi, 18 Georges-Henri Colombe, 19 Mickaël Guillard, 20 Paul Boudehent, 21 Maxime Lucu, 22 Matthieu Jalibert, 23 Gael Fickou

Date: Saturday, November 9
Venue: Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Kick-off: 20:10 GMT
Referee: Damian Schneider (UAR)
Assistant Referees: Angus Gardner (RA), James Doleman (NZR)
TMO: Richard Kelly (NZR)

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