France mix it up

France have selected two uncapped players in an experimental side to face Fiji in the first of their three November Tests on Saturday.

Lievremont includes three new faces in squad, two set to start

France have selected two uncapped players in an experimental side to face Fiji in the first of their three November Tests on Saturday. Perpignan prop Jerome Schuster and Brive centre Fabrice Estebanez have both been handed their first caps by coach Marc Lievremont for the game in Nantes. Estebanez, 28, has been in the squad several times, but it will be a first 15-man international appearance for the former rugby league international. It is Schuster's first involvement in the team and the 25-year-old will join a front row including team-mate Guilhem Guirado, who will play at hooker in place of the injured Dimitri Szarzewski. Number eight Imanol Harinordoquy will captain the side in the absence of Thierry Dusautoir, with the man who led France to Six Nations glory this year being rested ahead of tougher clashes against Argentina and Australia.

Half backs

Biarritz duo Dimitri Yachvili and Damien Traille are paired together at half back, with Traille starting at fly-half for the first time in four years. "I can't wait to see Damien playing," Lievremont said. "We put him in a comfortable position with Dimitri. He is really committed to the team and is raising a lot of expectations." Scrum-half Morgan Parra occupies a place on the bench alongside lock Sebastien Chabal, while a third man looking to make his debut will be Racing Metro hooker Benjamin Noirot, who is also on the bench. Lievremont has several injury problems with the likes of hooker William Servat, lock Pascal Pape, hooker Szarzewski and fly-half Jonathan Wisniewski all unavailable. Winger Julien Arias of Stade Francais wins his second cap but first start, while Maxime Medard plays on the opposite wing after an injury-hit year. Jerome Porical of Perpignan keeps his place at full-back for the Fiji game, which is followed by matches against Argentina in Montpellier and Australia at the Stade de France. France: Jerome Porical (Perpignan); Julien Arias (Stade Francais), David Marty (Perpignan), Fabrice Estebanez (Brive), Maxime Medard (Toulouse); Damien Traille (Biarritz), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz); Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz, capt), Alexandre Lapandry (Clermont), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Jerome Thion (Biarritz), Romain Millo-Chluski (Toulouse); Luc Ducalcon (Castres), Guilhem Guirado (Perpignan), Jerome Schuster (Perpignan)
Replacements: Benjamin Noirot (Racing-Metro), Thomas Domingo (Clermont), Julien Pierre (Clermont), Sebastien Chabal (Racing-Metro), Morgan Parra (Clermont), David Skrela (Toulouse), Alexis Palisson (Brive)