France reveal team for Scotland clash
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France head coach Jacques Brunel has named his team to face Scotland in their first World Cup warm-up match next Saturday in Nice.
Five months after rounding off a disappointing Six Nations with a scrappy win over Italy in Rome, Brunel, who named his World Cup 31 back in June, has opted to give Test debuts against Scotland to wing Alivereti Raka and loose forward Francois Cros.
There are only four survivors from their last outing in Rome, fullback Maxime Medard, wing Damian Penaud, scrumhalf Antoine Dupont and No.8 Greg Alldritt.
The team will be captained by No.1 Jefferson Poirot.
France: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Gaël Fickou, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Alivereti Raka, 10 Camille Lopez, 9 Antoine Dupont, 8 Grégory Alldritt, 7 Charles Ollivon, 6 François Cros, 5 Sébastien Vahaamahina, 4 Paul Gabrillagues, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Camille Chat, 1 Jefferson Poirot (captain).
Replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Dany Priso, 18 Emerick Setiano, 19 Félix Lambey, 20 Louis Picamoles, 21 Baptiste Serin, 22 Romain Ntamack, 23 Thomas Ramos.
Date: Saturday, August 17
Venue: Allianz Riviera Stadium, Nice
Kick-off: 21.00 (20.00 UK & Ireland time; 19.00 GMT)
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)
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