Romain Ntamack and Wesley Fofana start for France

France head coach Jacques Brunel has named Romain Ntamack and Wesley Fofana as his starting centres for their Six Nations opener against Wales.

The duo come in as the preferred option, with Morgan Parra and Camille Lopez the starting half-back combination for the showdown in Paris.

Elsewhere in the backs, Brunel picks Yoann Huget and Damian Penaud as his wings while Maxime Medard is full-back at the Stade de France.

Guilhem Guirado captains the side in the middle of props Jefferson Poirot and Uini Atonio and there is a first Test start for Paul Willemse in the second-row alongside Sebastien Vahaamahina, with Wenceslas Lauret, Arthur Iturria and Louis Picamoles given the nod to form the French back-row.

France’s bench options include young prop Demba Bamba and scrum-half Baptiste Serin, with Gael Fickou and Geoffrey Doumayrou also named.

France: 15 Maxime Medard, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Wesley Fofana, 12 Romain Ntamack, 11 Yoann Huget, 10 Camille Lopez, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Arthur Iturria, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 5 Paul Willemse, 4 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Guilhem Guirado (c), 1 Jefferson Poirot
Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Dany Priso, 18 Demba Bamba, 19 Felix Lambey, 20 Greg Alldritt, 21 Baptiste Serin, 22 Gael Fickou, 23 Geoffrey Doumayrou

Date: Friday, February 1
Venue: Stade de France
Kick-off: 21:00 local (20:00 GMT)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (Ireland), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)

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