Romain Ntamack will make his first France appearance for 17 months in their Six Nations opener against Wales on Friday.
The fly-half suffered a serious knee injury in a warm-up game for the 2023 World Cup and missed that tournament as well as last year’s Six Nations.
The 25-year-old returned to fitness for his club Toulouse but then injured his calf before last November’s Test matches.
However he will partner club-mate Antoine Dupont at half-back against Wales in the opening match of the championship on Friday evening.
Dupont, 28, missed the 2024 Six Nations in order to focus on sevens before his home Olympics in Paris.
Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou, who were investigated over rape claims last year before they were dismissed in December, will start on the bench.
The two players, allowed to leave Argentina in September, always denied any wrongdoing and said the sex was consensual. The plaintiff has appealed against the court’s decision and the next hearing will take place on 10 February.
Auradou returned to action with Pau in October while Jegou was back in November with La Rochelle.
Their inclusion on the bench is escalated by injuries to flanker Charles Ollivon – who is out for the rest of the season – and lock Thibaud Flament’s muscle issue.
