The date is a week before France play England at Twickenham but the president of the French Rugby Federation, Bernard Lapasset, recently awarded a Légion d'Honneur, said that none of the 40 players recenlty chosen as the French squad for the Six Nations will be eligible for this match.

Lapasset also said: "We are going to make an offficial request that this match be placed on the International Rugby Board's schedule of fixtures and be regarded as a true international match."