Plisson to start for France

Jules Plisson has been restored at fly-half as one of three changes to the backline for the third and final Test against South Africa on Saturday.

France are seeking a consolation win having been well beaten in the first two matches of the tour, and head coach Guy Noves has made a further six changes in a revamped bench for the clash at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

Plisson started the first game in Pretoria and has been preferred in the number 10 jersey to Francois Trinh Duc, who is named among the replacements.

The other two changes to the starting XV are also in the backline as Brice Dulin comes in for South African-born Scott Spedding at full-back and Nans Ducuing gets a first test start ahead of Yoann Huget, who received a cut in his mouth last weekend.

Changes on the bench see prop Xavier Chiocci come in for Eddy Ben Arous, lock Paul Jedrasiak preferred to Julien le Devedec, flank Loann Goujon in for Bernard le Roux, scrum-half Maxime Machenaud take over from Antoine Dupont, Trinh-Duc feature instead of Jean-Marc Doussain and Vincent Rattez take the place of Ducuing.

South Africa won the first test 37-14 and followed that up with a 37-15 victory in Durban last weekend. They have never beaten France before at Ellis Park though, losing all four previous tests.

France: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Nans Ducuing, 13 Damian Penaud, 12 Gael Fickou, 11 Virimi Vakatawa, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Baptiste Serin, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Kevin Gourdon, 6 Yacouba Camara, 5 Romain Taofifenua, 4 Yoann Maestri, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Guilhem Guirado (c), 1 Jefferson Poirot 
Replacements: 16 Clement Maynadier, 17 Xavier Chiocci, 18 Uini Atonio, 19 Paul Jedrasiak, 20 Loann Goujon, 21 Maxime Machenaud, 22 Francois Trinh Duc, 23 Vincent Rattez

Date: Saturday, June 24
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-Off: 17:00 local (15:00 GMT)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)