PARIS — Romain Ntamack will start at flyhalf for France in one of five team changes for the Six Nations Championship decider against Scotland on Friday.
France and Wales are both in contention for the title, although 2019 champion Wales remains the favorite despite missing out on the Grand Slam.
Ntamack steps in for Matthieu Jalibert, who hurt his jaw in last Saturday’s dramatic 32-30 win against Wales.
Coach Fabien Galthie changed his second row with locks Bernard Le Roux and Swan Rebbadj replacing Romain Taofifenua and Paul Willemse, who is suspended following his red against Wales.
Galthie dropped winger Teddy Thomas and called up Arthur Vincent to center. Gael Fickou moves out of midfield and onto the left wing in place of Thomas, while Damian Penaud crosses over to the right wing in a positional switch.
The last change sees Anthony Jelonch preferred to Dylan Cretin at blindside flanker.
Galthie made a surprising choice on the bench, leaving out flyhalf Louis Carbonel and instead using versatile fullback Anthony Bouthier as his flyhalf cover for Ntamack. Thomas is on the bench with backup scrumhalf Baptiste Serin.
France, which hosts Scotland, has not won the title since 2010 and needs a bonus-point win and a 21-point margin of victory or a 20-point victory and at least six tries to pip Wales.
Lineups:
France: Brice Dulin, Damian Penaud, Virimi Vakatawa, Arthur Vincent, Gael Fickou, Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont; Gregory Alldritt, Charles Ollivon (captain), Anthony Jelonch, Swan Rebbadj, Bernard Le Roux, Mohamed Haouas, Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille. Reserves: Camille Chat, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Uini Atonio, Romain Taofifenua, Dylan Cretin, Baptiste Serin, Anthony Bouthier, Teddy Thomas.
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