France make six changes for Six Nations clash with Ireland

Noves brings in wing Teddy Thomas and centre Maxime Mermoz to replace Hugo Bonneval, who is named on the bench, and Gael Fickou, who has been absent this week for personal reasons.

In the forwards, props Eddy Ben Arous and Rabah Slimani drop to the bench as Noves prefers Jefferson Poirot and Uini Atonio either side of skipper Guilhem Guirado, with lock Paul Jedresiak and injured flanker Louis Picamoles making way as Alexandre Flanquart and Yacouba Camara come in.

Sevens specialist Virimi Vakatawa keeps his place on the wing after making a try-scoring full international debut against Italy last Saturday, when France scraped a 23-21 win.

Maxime Medard (Toulouse); Teddy Thomas (Racing 92), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon), Jonathan Danty (Stade Francais), Virimi Vakatawa (French Rugby Federation); Jules Plisson (Stade Francais), Sebastien Bezy (Toulouse); Jefferson Poirot (Bordeaux-Begles), Guilhem Guirado (Toulon, capt), Uini Atonio (La Rochelle), Alexandre Flanquart (Stade Francais), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Wenceslas Lauret (Racing 92), Yacouba Camara (Toulouse), Damien Chouly (Clermont Auvergne).

Replacements: Camille Chat (Racing 92), Rabah Slimani (Stade Francais), Eddy Ben Arous (Racing 92), Paul Jedresiak (Clermont Auvergne), Loann Goujon (Bordeaux-Begles), Maxime Machenaud (Racing 92), Jean-Marc Doussain (Toulouse), Hugo Bonneval (Stade Francais).