Two new caps in France team to face Scotland
Jacques Brunel has named his France team to face Scotland in their first World Cup warm-up match next Saturday in Nice.
Five months after rounding off a disappointing Six Nations with a scrappy win over Italy in Rome, Brunel, who named his World Cup 31 back in June, has opted to give Test debuts against Scotland to winger Alivereti Raka and back row Francois Cros.
There are only four survivors from their last outing in Rome, full-back Maxime Medard, winger Damian Penaud, scrum-half Antoine Dupont and No8 Greg Alldritt.
FRANCE: Médard; Penaud, Fofana, Fickou, Raka; Lopez, Dupont; Alldritt, Ollivon, Cros, Vahaamahina, Gabrillagues, Slimani, Chat, Poirot (capt). Reps: Mauvaka, Priso, Steniao, Lambey, Picamoles, Serin, Ntamack, Ramos.
SCOTLAND: Hogg; Graham, Jones, Taylor, McGuigan; Hastings, Price; Strauss, Ritchie, Barclay, Gilchrist, Toolis, Berghan, McInally (capt), Bhatti. Reps: Turner, Reid, Fagerson, Cummings, Fagerson, Horne, Hutchinson, Kinghorn.
Referee: N Owens (Wales).
🇫🇷🏴 Voici votre équipe pour ce premier match de préparation à la Coupe du Monde samedi soir à Nice contre l’Écosse ! Allez les Bleus ! #NeFaisonsXV ! #FRAECO #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/VQ5vdeKpJT
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) August 15, 2019