FRANCE HEAD COACH Philippe Saint-André has picked a halfback pairing of Camille Lopez and Rory Kockott for his side’s opening Six Nations fixture against Scotland on Saturday [KO 17.00 Irish time].

Basta is back in France's midfield. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO

The former Toulon and Gloucester coach has largely opted for the XV that was expected, although veteran tighthead prop Nicolas Mas surprisingly misses out on the match day squad altogether.

Clermont’s Wesley Fofana and Mathieu Bastareaud of Toulon form a dangerous midfield partnership, while 21-year-old wing Teddy Thomas is back in the team after scoring four tries in his first two caps last November.

Scott Spedding – who will join Clermont from Bayonne next season – continues at fullback, while Toulouse’s Yoann Huget is selected on the right wing.

In the back row, the injury-enforced absence of Louis Picamoles means Clermont’s Damien Chouly starts in between captain Thierry Dusautoir and the impressively in-form Racing Métro flanker Bernard le Roux.

Yoann Maestri and Pascal Papé retain their second row spots, while Rabah Slimani, Guilhem Guirado and Alexandre Menini form the front row.

Among the replacements are 150kg prop Uini Atonio and uncapped number eight Loann Goujon, who are both currently on the books at La Rochelle.

France XV to play Scotland:

15. Scott Spedding
14. Yoann Huget
13. Mathieu Bastareaud
12. Wesley Fofana
11. Teddy Thomas
10. Camille Lopez
9. Rory Kockott

1. Alexandre Menini
2. Guilhem Guirado
3. Rabah Slimani
4. Pascal Papé
5. Yoann Maestri
6. Thierry Dusautoir (captain)
7. Bernard Le Roux
8. Damien Chouly

Replacements:

16. Benjamin Kayser
17. Uini Atonio
18. Eddy Ben Arous
19. Romain Taofifenua
20. Loann Goujon
21. Morgan Parra
22. Rémi Tales
23. Rémi Lamerat

Favourites tag irrelevant, but Toner confident Ireland can now pull any result out of the bag

Thierry Dusautoir believes Ireland are the team to beat in this year’s Six Nations