Rugby: France make changes at the double

Guy Noves, coach of the France rugby team, during the 2017 International Incoming Series rugby. Photo / Backpagepix / www.photosport.nz

Injury has forced France into making a double player change to their squad ahead of their test against the All Blacks in Paris this weekend.

Coach Guy Noves was forced to rule centre Remi Lamerat and uncapped prop Antoine Guillamon out of Sunday morning's clash, replaced by Gael Fickou and Mohamed Boughanmi.

Toulouse flyer Fickou, 23, was a surprise omission from the original squad, having 32 test caps, including a bench appearance in last year's tense 24-19 loss to the All Blacks in Paris.

Boughanmi's lone test came this year against the Springboks in Pretoria.

Meanwhile, doubt still hovers over the fitness of All Blacks Rieko Ioane and Jerome Kaino, with an update expected overnight.

Ioane contracted the mumps and was isolated from teammates during much of the tour's first week. Kaino suffered knee ligament damage in the 31-22 win over the Barbarians at Twickenham, leaving the veteran flanker in doubt not just for the Paris test, but the remainder of the tour.

France squad
Mathieu Bastareaud, Anthony Belleau, Hugo Bonneval, Mohamed Boughanmi, Judicael Cancoriet, Raphael Chaume, Geoffrey Doumayrou, Nans Ducuing, Antoine Dupont, Gael Fickou, Paul Gabrillagues, Kevin Gourdon, Guilhem Guirado, Yoann Huget, Anthony Jelonch, Daniel Kotze, Gabriel Lacroix, Felix Lambey, Clement Maynadier, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Damian Penaud, Louis Picamoles, Jefferson Poirot, Baptiste Serin, Rabah Slimani, Scott Spedding, Roman Taofifenua, Marco Tauleigne, Teddy Thomas, Christopher Tolofua, Francois Trinh-Duc, Sebastien Vahaamahina.