France during their Six Nations celebrations

Stade Francais’s huge outside centre Mathieu Bastareaud, the star of their side a year ago, is the biggest casualty when it comes to this Six Nation as he has been dropped, for David Marty as France set about defending their title. Coach Marc Lievremont has recalled a number of players including fly-halves Francois Trinh-Duc and David Skrela, Perpignan centre Maxime Mermoz, veteran prop Sylvain Marconnet, Toulouse fly-half , wing Vincent Clerc and full-back Clement Poitrenaud

“These 30 players have been called to play the Six Nations but this group is probably very close to the one that will be announced in March for the World Cup,” Lievremont said.

“Sylvain (Marconnet) was selected because of the trust I have in him, his experience, his versatility and his good performances with Biarritz Olympique. I know he is a real competitor.”

Squad:

Backs: Morgan Parra, Dimitri Yachvili, Francois Trinh-Duc, David Skrela, Damien Traille, Yannick Jauzion, Maxime Mermoz, David Marty, Aurelien Rougerie, Vincent Clerc, Maxime Medard, Alexis Palisson, Clement Poitrenaud, Yoann Huget.

Forwards: Thomas Domingo, Sylvain Marconnet, Guilhem Guirado, William Servat, Luc Ducalcon, Nicolas Mas, Lionel Nallet, Jerome Thion, Pascal Pape, Julien Pierre, Julien Bonnaire, Thierry Dusautoir (captain), Alexandre Lapandry, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Sebastien Chabal, Imanol Harinordoquy.