Dupont and Ntamack back as France at full strength for Scotland rematch
Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack will return to the France team for Saturday's Rugby World Cup warm-up against Scotland in Saint-Etienne after being rested for last week's defeat at Murrayfield.
Tournament hosts France lost 25-21 in Edinburgh with a team missing several first-choice players including captain and scrum-half Dupont and fly-half Ntamack as coach Fabien Galthie looked to test his squad depth.
The halfback pairing will be reunited as Galthie restores his side to full strength for France's second preparation match for next month's World Cup.
Galthie denied his side for this weekend would necessarily mirror his line-up for the tournament opener against New Zealand on September 8.
"It's impossible to respond," Galthie told reporters. "You know as well as I do that everything can happen in a match.
"You will have to wait for us to announce the team to face New Zealand."
Only back-row forward Paul Boudehent, who made his France debut last Saturday, and lock Cameron Woki keep their place in a team showing 13 changes from Edinburgh.
Toulon winger Gabin Villiere comes in for his first cap since last year's Six Nations when France won a Grand Slam. He will line up opposite Damian Penaud, with Thomas Ramos at full-back.
Five players from the 42-man training squad are unavailable through injury in prop Demba Bamba, locks Paul Willemse and Romain Taofifenua, flanker Francois Cros and No. 8 Yoan Tanga.
France also face Fiji in Nantes on August 19 and Australia in Paris eight days later ahead of the World Cup.
They kick off the tournament against the All Blacks and will also come up against Uruguay, Namibia and Italy in Pool A.
France team (15-1)
Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Gabin Villiere; Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont (capt); Charles Ollivon, Paul Boudehent, Gregory Alldritt; Thibaud Flament, Cameron Woki; Dorian Aldegheri, Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille
Replacements: Pierre Bourgarit, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Uini Atonio, Florian Verhaeghe, Bastien Chalureau, Sekou Macalou, Maxime Lucu, Louis Bielle-Biarrey
Y. Rousseau--BTZ