There are four changes in the pack, two in the backs.

The change to the hooker Dimitri Szarzewski was made inevitable because of the injury to his shoulder which has required an operation but his time on the field against Italy was not a productive one at the line-outs. France lost six line-outs against Italy, five in the second half. Now they face a line-out regarded as the best in the Six Nations though Wales did well enough against Ireland last Saturday.

Jérôme Thion has had a light injury to his ankle but he is on the bench which may well mean that he was simply dropped.

Prop Oliver Milloud has swapped places with Pascal Papé and is now on the bench in his stead.

The same exchange of places has taken place between Julien Bonnaire, who started last week, and Imañol Harinordoquy.

In the back Florian Fritz is out with a leg injury and David Marty has been brought into the team in his place. Marty was not in last week's squad.

Carrying on the swapping within the squad Cédric Heymans, who did not have a satisfying match in Rome, lapses to the bench and Vincent Clerc starts in his place. Clerc goes right and Dominici left.

France: 15 Clément Poitrenaud (Toulouse), 14 Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), 13 David Marty (Perpignan), 12 Yannick Jauzion (Toulouse), 11 Christophe Dominici (Stade Français), 10 David Skréla (Stade Français), 9 Pierre Mignoni (Clermont Auvergne), 8 Sebastian Chabal (Sale Sharks), 7 Imañol Harinordoquy (Biarritz), 6 Serge Betsen (Biarritz), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Papé, 3 Pieter de Villiers (Stade Français), 2 Raphaël Ibañez (London Wasps, captain), 1 Sylvain Marconnet (Stade Français).
Replacements: 16 Yannick Bru (Sale Sharks), 17 Olivier Milloud (Bourgoin), 18 Jérôme Thion (Biarritz), 19 Julien Bonnaire (Bourgoin), 20 Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz), 21 Lionel Beauxis (Stade Français), 22 Cédric Heymans (Toulouse).

Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand), Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)
Television match official: Peter Allan (Scotland)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)