Picamoles and Lopez handed France starts

Louis Picamoles and Camille Lopez return to France’s starting line-up to face South Africa in Paris on Saturday.

Picamoles has not featured for Les Bleus since February, but the number eight gets the nod to make his first Test start for almost a year.

Lopez gets the nod at fly-half for what will be his first international appearance since March 2017, having put his injury woes behind him.

The versatile Damian Penaud will start on the wing for the first time in a Test, with Geoffrey Doumayrou and Mathieu Bastareaud making up the centre pairing.

Jacques Brunel has preferred Sebastien Vahaamahina to Paul Gabrillagues in the second row for the clash at Stade de France.

 Voici la composition de notre équipe pour le premier match de la tournée d’automne samedi soir au @StadeFrance contre les @Springboks ! Nous comptons sur vous pour venir pousser votre #XVdeFrance ! Ensemble, #NeFaisonsXV ! #FRAAFS pic.twitter.com/GzI7jQK3Ar

— FF Rugby (@FFRugby) November 8, 2018

France: Maxime Medard, Teddy Thomas, Mathieu Bastareaud, Geoffrey Doumayrou, Damian Penaud, Camille Lopez, Baptiste Serin; Jefferson Poirot, Guilhem Guirado (captain), Cedate Gomes Sa, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Yoann Maestri, Wenceslas Lauret, Arthur Iturria, Louis Picamoles.

Replacements: Camille Chat, Dany Priso, Rabah Slimani, Paul Gabrillagues, Mathieu Babillot, Antoine Dupont, Anthony Belleau, Gael Fickou.

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