Vakatawa makes his return for France as Fickou moves to wing
VIRIMI Vakatawa will make his return for France against Wales as Gael Fickou switches to the wing for the clash at Principality Stadium.
The Racing 92 centre missed the Round 2 win over Italy with a triceps injury but has now recovered to reclaim his spot in the starting line-up.
He will form a new-look centre pairing with Arthur Vincent, who had replaced him against the Azzurri.
Fickou, France’s most capped player, returns to the wing, where he featured the last time France travelled to Cardiff in 2018.
His switch comes following Vincent Rattez’s broken fibula that ended his Championship, while Damian Penaud’s calf injury has kept him out of contention.
Elsewhere it is an unchanged starting XV named by Fabien Galthié, with Charles Ollivon captaining the side once more.
Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack, both of whom have missed some training this week with niggles, are fit to take their places. There are changes on the bench however, with prop JeanBaptiste Gros and flanker Dylan Cretin set to make their debuts after being preferred to Jefferson Poirot and Cameron Woki respectively.
Camille Chat is also back fit and slots in among the replacements, while Thomas Ramos is set for his first appearance of the Championship as outside backs cover.
France are currently top of the table with nine points from their first two games, and are seeking a first win in Wales since 2010, the last time they won the Grand Slam.
France: Anthony Bouthier (Montpellier); Teddy Thomas (Racing 92), Virimi Vakatawa (Racing 92), Arthur Vincent (Montpellier), Gael Fickou (Stade Francais); Romain Ntamack (Toulouse), Antoine Dupont (Toulouse); Cyril Baille (Toulouse), Julien Marchand (Toulouse), Mohamed Haouas (Montpellier), Bernard Le Roux (Racing 92), Paul Willemse (Montpellier), François Cros (Toulouse), Charles Ollivon (Toulon) (c), Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle). Reps: Camille Chat (Racing 92), 17. Jean-Baptiste Gros (Toulon), Demba Bamba (Lyon), Romain Taofifenua (Toulon), Dylan Cretin (Lyon), Baptiste Serin (Toulon), Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux-Begles), Thomas Ramos (Toulouse).