By Jerome Pugmire
France coach Marc Lievremont has picked centre Mathieu Bastareaud and winger Benjamin Fall to play in the opening Six Nations match against Scotland.
Lievremont's decision to pick Bastareaud appears to finally turn the page on an embarrassing political incident last summer when the 21-year-old Stade Francais centre lied to police about being assaulted in New Zealand.
Top try-scorer Vincent Clerc was dropped to the bench with Fall set for only his second international appearance. Lievremont said kicking duties will go to scrumhalf Morgan Parra.
Bastareaud initially claimed that he had sustained facial injuries by being attacked by several men following a night out during the team's New Zealand tour in June, and it quickly escalated into a political affair between the nations.
Bastareaud, who has been doing community service work, was excluded from France's matches against South Africa, Samoa and New Zealand in November. But the burly centre now has the chance to make amends.
"We hope (Bastareaud) confirms all the good we think of him," Lievremont said. "He is right to think that everyone is waiting for him. He should play to his strengths without asking himself too many questions. We hope that all that happened in the last few months has helped him become more mature."
Bastareaud is excited about facing a Scotland team he considers as unpredictable as the French.
"They are so motivated and they never give you anything," Bastareaud said. "We'll have to be wary because they can come up with unbelievable performances when you least expect it."
Parra is paired with Francois Trinh-Duc at halfback, but the flyhalf faces a late fitness test on his sore shoulder.
"We will see what happens in training Wednesday afternoon if he can keep his place," Lievremont said. "If not, Benjamin Boyet will replace him at No. 10."
Veteran inside centre Yannick Jauzion, who has scored 18 tries in 63 games for France, will act as a steadying influence for Bastareaud, who will be making only his fifth appearance.
"Yannick brings so much to the team, he's a leader on the pitch and a great player," Bastareaud said. "I think he can help me channel my energies."
France has several injuries and is without lock Sebastien Chabal (back), fullback Damien Traille (knee), prop Fabien Barcella (knee) and lock Romain Millo-Chluski, while scrumhalf Julien Dupuy is banned for eye-gouging.
But Lievremont is confident his pack will be too strong for Scotland's at Murrayfield after dominating South Africa's notoriously physical scrum in a 20-13 win in November.
"In the front five, we fear nobody. I have the certitude that we have picked the strongest team possible" Lievremont said. "It's important against the Celtic teams not to let them gain any ground, because they are very patient and they like to impose their game on you."
In a tight kicking contest last year, France edged Scotland 22-13 at Stade de France. Flanker Fulgence Ouedraogo scored France's only try and was the game's top tackler with 15. He was selected to play Sunday.
"It was a hard game as we were coming out of a defeat to Ireland. We didn't play very well that day," Ouedraogo said. "We thought we had control of the match but in the end it was close and we could never quite put Scotland away."
France was inconsistent last year, losing its opening game 30-21 to Ireland - which won the Grand Slam - beating Wales 21-16, getting thrashed 34-10 by England at Twickenham and then hammering Italy 50-8 in Rome.
Veteran scrumhalf Jean-Baptiste Elissalde is on the bench and is also France's backup kicker.
France crushed Samoa 43-5 in the November tests, but conceded five unanswered tries in its 39-12 loss to New Zealand.
Team: Clement Poitrenaud, Benjamin Fall, Mathieu Bastareaud, Yannick Jauzion, Aurelien Rougerie, Francois Trinh-Duc, Morgan Parra; Thomas Domingo, William Servat, Nicolas Mas, Lionel Nallet, Pascal Pape, Thierry Dusautoir, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Imanol Harinordoquy.
Replacements: Dimitri Szarzewski, Luc Ducalcon, Julien Pierre, Julien Bonnaire, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, David Marty, Vincent Clerc.
AP