Clermont pair are surprise selections

– France coach Jacques Brunel confirmed predictions of two surprise selections by naming Arthur Iturria at flanker and Clermont team-mate Damian Penaud on the left wing for their Test against South Africa in Paris tomorrow.

Iturria, 24, has played at lock in all three of his previous Tests but has been pulled back a notch by Brunel following a recent switch of position at his Top 14 club.

Iturria’s last cap came against Scotland at the Six Nations last February, when he was one of several partygoers from the France team sidelined from the squad.

The 22-year-old Penaud will make his first appearance since

Marcoussis

playing against Japan in November 2017. In his previous five appearances he played at centre but, having played five of his seven Top 14 matches so far this season on the wing, will follow suit against the Springboks.

His inclusion comes in spite of some fine performances at centre this season from Stade Francais’ Gael Fickou, who has often played on the wing for France.

Maxime Medard is preferred to Benjamin Fall at fullback with Geoffrey Doumayrou and Mathieu Bastareaud his two centres.

Penaud will operate just behind club team-mate Camille Lopez. Now injury-free, he returns, to flyhalf for the first time since the 2017 Six Nations.

Lopez will be without Clermont teammate Morgan Parra, who withdrew from the squad because of injury. –