France vs Argentina: Matthieu Jalibert, Romain Ntamack combine for Les Bleus; Tomas Cubelli back for Pumas

Team news for both sides ahead of Saturday's Test from the Stade de France as France take on Argentina...

Flament in for France debut; Jalibert and Ntamack combine in back-line

France coach Fabien Galthie has handed a Test debut to lock Thibaud Flament for Saturday's home encounter against Argentina.

The 24-year-old Flament earns his reward after strong performances for Toulouse and partners burly Paul Willemse in the second row.

Standout scrum-half Antoine Dupont captains the side in the absence of Charles Ollivon and starts alongside Matthieu Jalibert in the half-backs.

With Jalibert named at 10, Toulouse out-half Romain Ntamack is named to start at 12 in a mouth-watering backline which has the impressive Gael Fickou at outside-centre, Damian Penaud and Gabin Villiere on the wings, and Melvyn Jaminet at full-back.

Elsewhere in the forwards, Cyril Baille, Julien Marchand and Mohamed Haouas combine in the front-row, with Demba Bamba in tighthead reserve, while Francois Cros (blindside), Cameron Woki (openside) and Anthony Jelonch (No 8) start in the back-row.

Scrum-half Maxime Lucu could make his Test debut after being named among the replacements, with the bench named as a 6/2 split of forwards to backs. As a result, the likes of powerful back-rows Gregory Alldritt and Sekou Macalou have both been held in reserve.

France: 15 Melvyn Jaminet, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Romain Ntamack, 11 Gabin Villiere, 10 Matthieu Jalibert, 9 Antoine Dupont (c); 1 Cyril Baille, 2 Julien Marchand, 3 Mohamed Haouas, 4 Thibaud Flament, 5 Paul Willemse, 6 Francois Cros, 7 Cameron Woki, 8 Anthony Jelonch.

Replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Jean-Baptiste Gros, 18 Demba Bamba, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Gregory Alldritt, 21 Sekou Macalou, 22 Maxime Lucu, 23 Jonathan Danty.

Cubelli, Matera return for strong Argentina XV

Scrum-half Tomas Cubelli has returned to the Argentina lineup as coach Mario Ledesma named his side to take on France in their autumn international Test in Paris on Saturday.

The team features eight changes from their final match of the Rugby Championship where they lost 32-17 to Australia in Townsville last month.

Cubelli, who will play his 80th Test, missed that tournament because of a hand injury but returns to partner Santiago Carreras in the half-back pairing.

Loose forward Facundo Isa and backline players Jeronimo De La Fuente and Bautista Delguy are also back after injury, while the influential Pablo Matera has been restored to the side after missing the last Test having violated COVID-19 regulations in Australia.

Mateo Carreras gets a first start on the wing and Thomas Gallo is at loosehead prop - Gallo came on and scored two tries as a replacement in Argentina's last outing.

Argentina have been hit with the loss of four players for the autumn international series with second-rower Matias Alemanno, No 8 Rodrigo Bruni, prop Facundo Gigena and full-back Juan Cruz Mallia all ruled out because of injury.

After the Test in Paris, they will take on Italy in Treviso on November 13 and conclude their tour against Ireland in Dublin on November 21.

Argentina: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Jeronimo De La Fuente, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Tomas Cubelli; 1 Thomas Gallo, 2 Julian Montoya (c), 3 Francisco Gomez Kodela, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Facundo Isa.

Replacements: 16 Facundo Bosch, 17 Rodrigo Martinez, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Lucas Paulos, 20 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Nicolas Sanchez, 23 Lucio Cinti.