French coach Marc Lievremont has been forced to make two changes to the side that beat reigning Grand Slam champions Ireland 33-10 in Paris for the Friday night clash with Wales in Cardiff.
Toulouse wing Vincent Clerc failed a fitness test and Benjamin Fall replaces him. The Bayonne flyer has played against Wales at Under 20 level over the past two seasons and was in the side that lost 20-16 against a Welsh team containing Leigh Halfpenny at Rodney Parade in 2008.
The other change comes in the back row, where Montpellier’s Fulgence Ouedraogo is also ruled out through injury. His place in the back row is taken by Julien Bonnaire, who will win his 50th cap.
Alex Lapandry, who scored two tries against Wales Under 20 last year, comes onto the bench to provide back row cover.
France: Clement Poitrenaud (Toulouse); Benjamin Fall (Bayonne), Mathieu Bastareaud (Stade Francais), Yannick Jauzion (Toulouse), Alexis Palisson (Brive); Francois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Morgan Parra (Clermont Auvergne); Thomas Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), William Servat (Toulouse), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Lionel Nallet (Racing-Metro), Pascal Pape (Stade Francais), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse, Captain), Julien Bonnaire (Clermont Auvergne), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz)
Replacements: Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Francais), Jean-Baptiste Poux (Toulouse), Julien Pierre (Clermont Auvergne), Alex Lapandry (Clermont Auvergne), Frederick Michalak (Toulouse), David Marty (Perpignan), Julien Malzieu (Clermont Auvergne)
