Pelous on verge of record-equalling cap
France coach Bernard Laporte will not name his starting line up until Thursday, but included in the match day 22 is second row Fabien Pelous, who missed this year's Six Nations title success through injury.
If Pelous does take to the field he will equal Philippe Sella’s record of 111 Test caps for France, ironically against the same side that the centre bowed out against in the third place playoff at Rugby World Cup 1995.
However Pelous is not the only player returning to the squad from injury, fly half Frederic Michalak having also missed the Six Nations is another for a match which will see Raphael Ibanez again captain France.
This is the first of two Tests against England – who ended France’s Six Nations Grand Slam hopes with a 26-18 win at Twickenham in March – with the return encounter in Marseille on 18 August.
England ring the changes
England go into the match in confident mood after a record 62-5 defeat of Wales at Twickenham last weekend, but coach Brian Ashton has made 11 changes to the starting line up from that victory in the last Test before naming his 30-man squad for RWC 2007.
Shaun Perry is rewarded for an impressive display at scrum half with his place – this time with Olly Barkley not Jonny Wilkinson his half back partner – while prop Andrew Sheridan, hooker Mark Regan, second row Simon Shaw are the other returnees.
The captaincy is taken over by Mike Catt as regular incumbent Phil Vickery drops to the bench, the centre being one of six changes to the backline with Nick Abendanon given a chance to impress at full back, having made his debut in South Africa this summer.
Danny Cipriani could make his England debut from the bench.
Squads for England v France match:
ENGLAND: 1. Andrew Sheridan 2. Mark Regan 3. Matt Stevens 4. Simon Shaw 5. Ben Kay 6. James Haskell 7. Lewis Moody 8. Lawrence Dallaglio 9. Shaun Perry 10. Olly Barkley 11. Josh Lewsey 12. Mike Catt (Captain) 13. Jamie Noon 14. Paul Sackey 15. Nick Abendanon.
Replacements: 16. Lee Mears 17. Phil Vickery 18. Martin Corry 19. Joe Worsley 20. Andy Gomarsall 21. Jonny Wilkinson 22. Danny Cipriani.
FRANCE:
Forwards: Raphael Ibanez (Captain), Dimitri Szarzewski, Pieter De Villiers, Olivier Milloud, Jean-Baptiste Poux, Fabien Pelous, Jerome Thion, Sebastien Chabal, Julien Bonnaire, Serge Betsen, Remy Martin, Yannick Nyanga.
Backs: Pierre Mignoni, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, Frederic Michalak, David Skrela, Yannick Jauzion, David Marty, Aurelien Rougerie, Cedric Heymans, Vincent Clerc, Clement Poitrenaud.
