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Lucu replaces banned France captain Dupont for Japan Test
Scrum-half Maxime Lucu will replace World Rugby player of the year Antoine Dupont in France's side to face Japan in the Autumn Nations Series this weekend, Les Bleus head coach Fabien Galthie said on Friday.
Captain Dupont will miss Sunday's game in Toulouse after receiving a four-week ban for a dangerous challenge in last Saturday's win over South Africa, a record 12th straight Test victory for the country.
There are two other changes from the Springboks success as loose-head prop Reda Wardi comes in for Cyrill Baille and lock Romain Taofifenua replaces Thibaud Flament.
Baille has been ruled out with a hernia and Flament suffered concussion last weekend.
Winger Damian Penaud starts despite pulling up during Thursday's training session with a knee issue.
France (15-1)
Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Yoram Moefana; Romain Ntamack, Maxime Lucu; Gregory Alldritt, Charles Ollivon (capt), Anthony Jelonch; Romain Taofifenua, Cameron Woki; Uini Atonio, Julien Marchand, Reda Wardi
Replacement: Peato Mauvaka, Dany Priso, Sipili Falatea, Florian Verhaeghe, Bastien Chalureau, Sekou Macalou, Baptiste Couilloud, Matthieu Jalibert
Coach: Fabien Galthie (FRA)
P. Hansen--BTZ
