Plisson to start for France against England

Jules Plisson will start at flyhalf as France head coach Philippe Saint-Andre made two injury-forced changes to his team to face England in their Six Nations final game at Twickenham on Saturday.

Plisson, who will earn his sixth cap after Camille Lopez was ruled out with a knee injury, will pair up with scrumhalf Sebastien Tillous-Borde while prop Vincent Debaty will start in place of Eddy Ben Arous, out with an arm muscle injury.

The rest of the team, who beat Italy 29-0 last Sunday, is unchanged.

Saint-Andre explained that it is Lopez's club, Clermont, who said the player needed a rest of up to six weeks.

"It is Clermont who decided Camille Lopez needed to be rested," the former France captain told a news conference on Thursday.

Plisson will start although he has a broken nose.

"He's got a broken nose but he is determined to play. He's OK for Saturday," said Saint-Andre.

France, fourth in the standings, opened their campaign with a victory against Scotland, then losing to Ireland and Wales before their Rome victory.

Team:

15-Scott Spedding, 14-Yoann Huget, 13-Gael Fickou, 12-Maxime Mermoz, 11-Noa Nakaitaci, 10-Jules Plisson, 9-Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 8-Loann Goujon, 7-Bernard Le Roux, 6-Thierry Dusautoir (captain), 5-Yoann Maestri, 4-Alexandre Flanquart, 3-Nicolas Mas, 2-Guilhem Guirado, 1-Vincent Debaty

Replacements:

16-Benjamin Kayser, 17-Rabah Slimani, 18-Uini Atonio, 19-Romain Taofifenua, 20-Damien Chouly, 21-Rory Kockott, 22-Remi Tales, 23-Mathieu Bastareaud