French coach Jacques Brunel has named his side springing a surprise with uncapped Romain Ntamack in his starting XV ahead of Vice Captain Mathieu Bastareaud for France’s Guinness Six Nations opener against Wales at the Stade de France on Friday night.
The 19-year-old, who was part of France’s Under-20s World Cup-winning side, wins his first cap alongside Wesley Fofana with Mathieu Bastareaud not included in the 23-man squad.
Ntamack, the son of ex-Les Bleus winger Emile, has become a regular for Toulouse this year and is the youngest player in any Six Nations squad this year.
Morgan Parra and Camille Lopez are reunited for France in the half-back pairing for the first time since the 2015 Championship.
South African-born Paul Willemse, who has just qualified for his adoptive country on residency grounds after spending more than 3 years with Top 14 clubs Montpellier and Grenoble
Wenceslas Lauret, Arthur Iturria and Louis Picamoles start in the back row, while Maxime Médard, Damian Penaud and Yoann Huget start in the back three.
La Rochelle’s Grégory Alldritt is named on the bench and could be the third debutant for Les Bleus in the encounter.
France team to face Wales:
15. Maxime Medard (Stade Toulousain)
14. Damian Penaud (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
13. Wesley Fofana (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
12. Romain Ntamack (Stade Toulousain)
11. Yoann Huget (Stade Toulousain)
10. Camille Lopez (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
9. Morgan Parra (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
1. Jefferson Poirot (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)
2. Guilhem Guirado (capt) (RC Toulon)
3. Uini Antonio (Stade Rochelais)
4. Sébastien Vahaamahina (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
5. Paul Willemse (Montpellier)
6. Wenceslas Lauret (Racing 92)
7. Arthur Iturria (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
8. Louis Picamoles (Montpellier)
Replacements:
16. Julien Marchand (Stade Toulousain)
17. Dany Priso (Stade Rochelais)
18. Demba Bamba (CA Brive)
19. Félix Lambey (Lyon OU)
20. Grégory Alldritt (Stade Rochelais)
21. Baptiste Serin (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)
22. Gaël Fickou (Stade Français)
23. Geoffrey Doumayrou (Stade Rochelais)
