France
Antoine Dupont returns from his sevens exploits to skipper the side and he partners Romain Ntamack at half-back – it’s Ntamack’s first cap for 17 months after recovering from a serious knee injury.
Wing Damian Penaud is out with a muscle issue and is replaced by Theo Attissogbe. Jonathan Danty, Gael Fickou, Thibaud Flament Anthony Jelonch, Charles Ollivon and Reda Wardi are all absent and there’s no place for fly-half Matthieu Jalibert in the matchday 23.
France line-up: 15-Ramos; 14-Attissogbe, 13-Barassi, 12-Moefana, 11-Bielle-Biarrey; 10-Ntamack, 9-Dupont (capt); 1-Gros, 2-Mauvaka, 3-Atonio, 4-Roumat, 5-Meafou, 6-Cros, 7-Boudehent, 8-Alldritt.
Replacements: 16-Marchand, 17-Baille, 18-Colombe, 19-Auradou, 20-Guillard, 21-Jegou, 22-Le Garrec, 23-Gailleton.
Wales
Experienced backs Josh Adams and Liam Williams are in but veteran back row Taulupe Faletau is not in the squad.
Evan Lloyd and Henry Thomas earn their first starts in the front row, while Dafydd Jenkins, the 2024 Six Nations captain, is at lock. Ben Thomas is selected ahead of Dan Edwards at fly-half, with the latter set to win his first cap from the bench.
Tom Rogers, Freddie Thomas and Blair Murray are set to make their Six Nations bows.
Wales line-up: 15-Williams; 14-Rogers, 13-Watkin, 12-Tompkins, 11-Adams; 10-B. Thomas, 9-T. Williams; 1-G. Thomas, 2-Lloyd, 3-H. Thomas, 4-Rowlands, 5-Jenkins, 6-Botham, 7-Morgan (capt), 8-Wainwright.
Replacements: 16-Dee, 17-Smith, 18-Assiratti, 19-F. Thomas, 20-Reffell, 21-R. Williams, 22-Edwards, 23-Murray.
