Mathieu Bastareaud has been dropped to the bench and Morgan Parra promoted form the replacements for France's clash with Wales in Paris this weekend.
Head coach Philippe Saint-Andre has made five changes from their defeat by Ireland in Dublin two weeks ago, with Parra coming in for the injured Rory Kockott and Bastareaud being replaced by Remi Lamerat.
"On Saturday we think that Bastareaud's power will help us more at the end of the match," said Saint-Andre.
#XVdeFrance Découvrez l’équipe qui débutera samedi pour le match face au Pays de Galles! #FRAPDG #soutienslexv pic.twitter.com/xstAvHkRh4
— FFRugby (@FFR_officiel) February 25, 2015
Despite defeat by Ireland last time out, Saint-Andre took a number of positives from the game. "We made twice as many passes as the Irish, we scored a try against the No3 side in the world, the team that many are calling the best in Europe," he said.
"We are not far away and we are working hard to get there."
FRANCE (v Wales): B Dulin (Racing Metro); Y Huget (Toulouse), R Lamerat (Castres), W Fofana (Clermont Auvergne), S Guitoune (Bordeaux-Begles); C Lopez (Clermont Auvergne), M Parra (Clermont Auvergne); E Ben Arous (Racing Metro), G Guirado (Toulon), R Slimani (Stade Francais); R Taofifenua (Toulon), Y Maestri (Toulouse); T Dusautoir (Toulouse, capt), B Le Roux (Racing Metro), D Chouly (Clermont Auvergne.
Replacements: B Kayser (Clermont Auvergne), U Atonio (La Rochelle), V Debaty (Clermont Auvergne), J Suta (Toulon), L Goujon (La Rochelle), S Tillous-Borde (Toulon), R Tales (Castres), M Bastareaud (Toulon).
