Virimi Vakatawa will start in the midfield alongside Arthur Vincent for France’s Six Nations clash with Wales in Cardiff this Saturday.

With Vincent switching to 12, Gael Fickou shifts to the wing in the absence of injured pair Rattez and Penaud.

Meanwhile, there could be debuts off the bench for Jean-Baptiste Gros and Dylan Cretin.

France  – 15 Anthony Bouthier, 14 Teddy Thomas, 13 Virimi Vakatawa, 12 Arthur Vincent, 11 Gael Fickou , 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont, 8 Grégory Alldritt, 7 Charles Ollivon (c), 6 François Cros, 5 Paul Willemse, 4 Bernard Le Roux, 3 Mohamed Haouas, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Cyril Baille.
Subs: 16 Camille Chat, 17 Jean-Baptiste Gros, 18 Demba Bamba, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Dylan Cretin, 21 Baptiste Serin, 22 Matthieu Jalibert, 23 Thomas Ramos.

Photo: Lynne Cameron/Getty Images