Romain Ntamack will start at flyhalf in one of nine changes to France’s starting lineup for their World Cup warm-up against Italy in Paris on Friday.
Ntamack forms the halfback partnership with Toulouse teammate Antoine Dupont in a much-changed France team from the one that narrowly lost to Scotland last weekend.
Wesley Fofana will form the midfield partnership with Sofiane Guitoune, while Maxime Medard comes off the bench to start at fullback. He is joined in the back three by Gael Fickou and Yoann Huget.
In the pack, Jefferson Poirot takes over the captaincy from hooker Guilhem Guirado, who drops to the bench. Camille Chat starts in place of Guirado, while Rabah Slimani is in at tighthead prop.
Arthur Iturria and Romain Taofifenua form the second-row combination, while the loose trio of Wenceslas Lauret, Yacouba Camara and Louis Picamoles complete the starting lineup.
Virimi Vakatawa, who was a late inclusion in France’s squad for the warm-ups, is on the bench as a backline replacement.
The match will be France’s final warm-up before naming their squad for the World Cup.
France – 15 Maxime Medard, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Sofiane Guitoune, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Gael Fickou, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Yacouba Camara, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 5 Romain Taofifenua, 4 Arthur Iturria, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Camille Chat, 1 Jefferson Poirot (c).
Subs: 16 Guilhem Guirado, 17 Cyril Baille, 18 Emerick Setiano, 19 Felix Lambey, 20 Francois Cros, 21 Baptiste Serin, 22 Virimi Vakatawa, 23 Thomas Ramos.
Photo: Getty Images
