France’s team will be led by Mickael Guillard, who partners uncapped Thomas Staniforth, an Australian who qualifies for France via residency, in the second row.
Elsewhere, the visitors, who are without players from Top 14 semi-finallists Toulouse, Racing 92, Montpellier and Stade Francais, lean on established club combinations.
La Rochelle half-back pair Nolann Le Garrec and Antoine Hastoy start inside the Bordeaux-Begles centre duo of Yoram Moefana and Nicolas Depoortere.
Bordeaux-Begles provide the whole of the front row, with 33-year-old Jefferson Poirot joined by Maxime Lamothe and Sipili Falatea.
Pau’s Theo Attissogbe is at full-back.
France: Attissogbe; Ambadiang, Depoortere, Moefana, Arfeuil; Hastoy, Le Garrec; Poirot, Lamothe, Falatea, Guillard (c), Staniforth, Matiu, Capilla, Gazzotti
Replacements: Massa, Wardi, Montagne, Palu, Tixeront, Jauneau, Desperes, Brau-Boirie
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