South African-born fullback Scott Spedding will make his international debut when he runs out for France against Fiji in Marseille on Saturday.
The Bayonne player represented South Africa Under-21 in the 2006 World Championship and will be joined by fellow South African Rory Kockott, who starts the match on the bench.
The 28-year-old, who joined Bayonne from Brive in 2012, was brought into the squad on Wednesday for the November Test series by coach Philippe Saint-Andre following an injury to first-choice fullback Brice Dulin.
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With Maxime Medard also struggling for fitness with a groin injury, the door was suddenly opened for him to earn his first cap.
There were also first call-ups for two Racing Metro backs, centre Alexandre Dumoulin and wing Teddy Thomas.
Saint-Andre also went for a new partnership at halfback in the shape of Toulon’s Sebastien Tillous-Borde and Camille Lopez of Clermont.
Thierry Dusautoir is retained as captain in a backrow which contains South-African-born Bernard Le Roux and Damien Chouly.
France: 15 Scott Spedding, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Alexandre Dumoulin, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Teddy Thomas, 10 Camille Lopez, 9 Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 8 Damien Chouly, 7 Bernard LeRoux, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (Captain), 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Pascal Papé, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Alexandre Ménini
Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Uini Atonio, 18 Xavier Chiocci, 19 Alexandre Flanquart, 20 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 21 Charles Ollivon, 22 Rory Kockott, 23 Remi Tales, 24 Mathieu Bastareaud, 25 Maxime Mermoz
Date: Saturday 8 November
Venue: Stade Veledrome, Marseille
Kick-Off: 18:45 SA Time (17:45 FRA Time, 16:45 GMT, Sunday 05:45 Fiji Time)
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO: Stefano Pennè (Italy)