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| Chabal will bring a new 'look' to the France side [GALLO/GETTY] |
France forward Sebastien Chabal will start for the first time in three matches
after coach Marc Lievremont named him in the side to face Australia at the Stade de France on Saturday.
The Sale Sharks lock, who has 41 caps, was on the bench when France beat Argentina 12-6 two weeks ago and the Pacific Islanders 42-17 last weekend.
He takes over from Romain Millo-Chluski.
Fresh face
"Romain played two full games and performed very well but Sebastien did well when he came on against the Pumas and the Islanders," coach Marc Lievremont told a news conference.
"His scrummaging has improved a lot and we think he will bring more freshness," he added.
Omitted during the last Six Nations championship by the new France coach who succeeded Bernard Laporte after the 2007 World Cup, Chabal was recalled for the tour of Australia in June.
He started the two tests, which were lost 40-10 and 34-13 by a France team shorn of all the players whose clubs had qualified for the semi-finals of the French championship.
The other question mark hanging over the selection for Saturday's game was the front row, with loosehead prop Lionel Faure, Chabal's team mate with the Sale Sharks, vying with Fabien Barcella and getting the nod.
"We favoured the experience of Lionel to counter an Australian scrum which appeared tricky to play (against) and more intelligent than powerful against England," Lievremont said referring to Australia's 28-14 win at Twickenham last Saturday.
In the only other change to the team who defeated the Islanders, scrumhalf Sebastien Tillous-Borde replaces Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, who was knocked out by a high tackle from Napolioni Nalaga last Saturday.
Julien Tomas takes Tillous-Borde's place on the bench.
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| Dean Mumm gets the call-up [GALLO/GETTY] |
Australia changes
Australia coach Robbie Deans has made three changes to the side that beat England last weekend for the match against France.
In a straight swap Ben Alexander replaces Ben Robinson at loosehead prop and Wycliff Palu deputises for the injured Richard Brown at number eight.
Dean Mumm's inclusion at blindside flanker means Hugh McMeniman moves to lock, with Mark Chisholm dropping to the bench.
"Ben Robinson has had a big year and we're mindful of that, while Ben Alexander showed against Italy, and earlier in the year during the Tests against France that he was capable," Deans said.
Brown, who was replaced by Palu after 45 minutes in the 28-14 win over England, picked up injuries to his knee and hand during that match and misses out completely.
Sekope Kepu and David Pocock have been added to the bench.
France:
15-Maxime Medard, 14-Julien Malzieu, 13-Yannick Jauzion, 12-Benoit Baby, 11-Cedric Heymans, 10-David Skrela, 9-Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 8-Imanol Harnordoquy, 7-Fulgence Ouedraogo, 6-Thierry Dusautoir, 5-Lionel Nallet (captain), 4-Sebastien Chabal, 3-Nicolas Mas, 2-Dimitri Szarzewski, 1-Lionel Faure.
Replacements: 16-Benjamin Kayser, 17-Benoit Lecouls, 18-Romain Millo-Chluski, 19-Louis Picamoles, 20-Julien Tomas, 21-Damien Traille, 22-Alexis Palisson.
Australia:
15-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14-Peter Hynes, 13-Ryan Cross, 12-Stirling Mortlock (captain), 11-Drew Mitchell, 10-Matt Giteau, 9-Luke Burgess, 8-Wycliff Palu, 7-George Smith, 6-Dean Mumm, 5-Nathan Sharpe, 4-Hugh McMeniman, 3-Al Baxter, 2-Stephen Moore, 1-Ben Alexander.
Replacements: 16-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17-Sekope Kepu, 18-Mark Chisholm, 19-David Pocock, 20-Sam Cordingley, 21-Quade Cooper, 22-Digby Ioane.
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