Antoine Dupont will return to captain defending champions France for Thursday evening’s Guinness Six Nations curtain-raiser against Ireland in Paris.
The Toulouse scrum-half has not played at international level since rupturing the ACL in his right knee during Les Bleus’ 42-27 win in Dublin last February.
Head coach Fabien Galthie raised some eyebrows by leaving centre Gael Fickou and wing Damian Penaud out of his squad for the championship but has named a formidable backline.
Galthie also overlooked former captain Gregory Alldritt for his squad before veteran prop Uini Atonio was forced to retire due to a heart problem. Anthony Jelonch takes Alldritt’s place at number eight.
Galthie told a press conference: “Antoine Dupont gives us more, that is for sure.
“That also places demands on the rest of the team, to raise our work rate in order to meet the ambition he has and that is why he is our captain.”
Ireland head coach, Andy Farrell, meanwhile has backed Jacob Stockdale to make the most of his first Guinness Six Nations appearance in five years after being selected ahead of James Lowe.
With Hugo Keenan sidelined, Stockdale was touted as an option at full-back but Jamie Osborne will wear the number 15 jersey at Stade de France for his first outing since damaging a shoulder in the autumn win over Japan.
Ireland are hampered by a host of injury issues, notably at prop.
Jeremy Loughman has been given the nod at loosehead in the absence of Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle, with Thomas Clarkson starting at tighthead.
Brothers Sam and Cian Prendergast will start together at Test level for the first time.
Leinster fly-half Sam, 22, has been retained ahead of Jack Crowley and Harry Byrne, while Connacht captain Cian, 25, lines up at blindside flanker.
“It’s lovely,” Farrell said of the Prendergasts. “You can tell that they try to keep it on the down low in front of all their team-mates, but I’m sure behind the scenes, along with their parents, they’re as proud as punch.”
France: Ramos; Attissogbe, Depoortere, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Dupont (capt); Gros, Marchand, Aldegheri, Ollivon, Guillard, Cros, Jegou, Jelonch. Replacements: Mauvaka, Neti, Montagne, Auradou, Meafou, Nouchi, Serin, Gourgues.
Ireland: Osborne; O’Brien, Ringrose, McCloskey, Stockdale; S Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Loughman, Sheehan, Clarkson, McCarthy, Beirne, C Prendergast, Van der Flier, Doris (capt). Replacements: Kelleher, Milne, Bealham, Ryan, Conan, Timoney, Casey, Crowley.