Coach Marc Lievremont has made a host of changes to the French side for the second Test against Australia on Saturday.
Lievremont keen to blood youngsters
Coach Marc Lievremont has made a host of changes to the French side for the second Test against Australia on Saturday.
Responding to last weekend's 34-13 defeat in Sydney, Lievremont has made seven changes to the starting XV as well as reschuffling the bench.
Outside centre Maxime Mermoz and loosehead prop Pierre Correia will make their Test debuts after failing to make the 22 for the first match, while inside centre Thibault Lacroix, wing David Janin, scrum-half Sebastian Tillous-Borde, flanker Matthieu Lievremont and prop Renaud Boyoud are all promoted from the bench.
Benjamin Thiery switches to full-back with Janin taking his place on the left, while Francois Trinh-Duc moves from centre to fly-half to partner Tillous-Borde with stand-off Benjamin Boyet missing out altogether.
Uncapped flanker Yannick Caballero and wing Jean-Baptiste Peyras are both named in the 22 for the first time with five of last week's starters named amongst the replacements - full-back Pepito Elhorga (shoulder) and tight-head prop Lionel Faure (knee) were unavailable with injuries.
Lievremont is keen to give as much experience as possible to his young squad, which is missing several key players due to domestic commitments.
France:: 15 Benjamin Thiery, 14 Alexis Palisson, 13 Maxim Mermoz, 12 Thibault Lacroix, 11 David Janin, 10 Francois Trinh-Duc, 9 Sebastian Tillous-Borde, 8 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 7 Imanol Harinordoquy, 6 Matthieu Lievremont, 5 Lionel Nallet (captain), 4 Sebastien Chabal, 3 Renaud Boyoud, 2 Sebastien Bruno, 1 Pierre Correia.
Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Benoit Lecouls, 18 David Couzinet, 19 Louis Picamoles, 20 Yannick Caballero, 21 Dimitri Yachvili, 22 Jean-Baptiste Peyras.
