KEY POINTS:
MARCOUSSIS - France named nine changes to their starting line-up on Thursday for the side to take on Georgia in their final World Cup Group D match at Marseille on Sunday.
The French have yet to completely assure their qualification for the last eight, but are considered near certain winners over the Georgians while group leaders Argentina are favoured to top Ireland in their final match.
Coach Bernard Laporte made four changes to his pack and five to the backs from the side that revived French hopes with a crucial 25-3 victory over Ireland in Paris last Friday.
In for his first World Cup match comes hooker Sebastien Bruno with Jean-Baptiste Poux beside him at prop. Lock Lionel Nallet comes back at lock in place of Sebastien Chabal, while Yannick Nyanga joins Serge Betsen and Julien Bonnaire in the back row.
Betsen captains the side in the absence of hooker Raphael Ibanez.
There are callups for three veterans who paid the price of the traumatic 12-17 opening match loss to Argentina on September 7.
Yannick Jauzion joins David Marty at centre, while Christophe Dominici and Aurelien Rougerie return on the wings.
The half-back pairing also changes with Pierre Mignoni at scrum-half and Lionel Beauxis at first five-eighths.
Laporte said that his selection had been driven by the desire to give another outing to the players who had struggled to find their best form against Argentina.
"They needed to play again following a match when they were not performing. It wasn't a punishment. It allows competition for places," he said.
"The Georgians, they will be there. They will be ready."
Team manager Jo Maso said that Beauxis was given the start at first five-eighths as he was the best kicker in the French squad.
"His kicking is very high class and it is sure he will score points in the match," he said. "He is competing with Frederic Michalak, who is also a player with great vision.
"Our aim is to score four tries, if we do that we will definitely qualify. We will wait for the end of the match and if Ireland manage to get the bonus point, so much the better."
France (15-1)
Clement Poitrenaud; Aurelien Rougerie, David Marty, Yannick Jauzion, Christophe Dominici; Lionel Beauxis, Pierre Mignoni; Yannick Nyanga, Julien Bonnaire, Serge Betsen (capt); Jerome Thion, Lionel Nallet; Jean-Baptiste Poux, Sebastien Bruno, Olivier Milloud
Replacements: Dimitri Szarzewski, Nicolas Mas, Fabien Pelous, Remy Martin, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, David Skrela, Vincent Clerc
- AFP
