Stade Français flyhalf Jules Plisson will earn his first Test cap when he starts for France against England in Paris.
Plisson will partner Toulouse scrumhalf Jean-Marc Doussain in what will be the 10th different No 9 and 10 combination tried out by Philippe Saint-André since he took over two years ago.
There are two more changes to the backline from the XV that face the Springboks in November, with Mathieu Bastareaud starting in place of Florian Fritz and Maxime Médard coming in for the crocked Sofiane Guitoune.
Up front Pascal Papé has replaced injured talisman Thierry Dusautoir as captain, partnered by Alexandre Flanquart in the second row instead of Yoann Maestri, with Thomas Domingo at loosehead prop in place of Yannick Forestier.
Louis Picamoles returns to the starting side at No 8 in a back row featuring South African-born Bernard Le Roux and Yannick Nyanga.
France – 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Maxime Médard, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Jean-Marc Doussain, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Bernard Le Roux, 6 Yannick Nyanga, 5 Pascal Papé (c), 4 Alexandre Flanquart, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Benjamin Kayser, 1 Thomas Domingo.
Subs: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Yannick Forestier, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 Yoann Maestri, 20 Antoine Burban, 21 Damien Chouly, 22 Maxime Machenaud, 23 Gael Fickou.
Photo: John Berry/Getty Images
