France freshen up second row partnership for Six Nations clash with Italy

France have freshened up their second row partnership as they continue their Six Nations grand slam chase with a meeting with Italy in Lille.

Toulouse lock duo Thibaud Flament and Emmanuel Meafou are united having featured off the bench against Wales last week in an otherwise unchanged starting line-up named by Fabien Galthie.

Flament had missed the opening win over Ireland with his wife undergoing fertility treatment, and the club colleagues displace Charles Ollivon and Mickael Guillard despite the pair impressing in rounds one and two.

They are part of a six-forward bench unit primed to make an impact, with last week’s debutant Fabien Brau-Boirie retaining his place in the centres.

Italy, meanwhile, welcome back their own Toulouse star in full-back Ange Capuozzo after overcoming an injury.

Leonardo Marin remains Tommaso Menoncello’s midfield partner in the continued absence of Juan Ignacio Brex, while there are no changes to a starting pack that has gone well so far in the tournament.

An impressive France have established themselves as tournament favourites but will be wary of an Italy side that have beaten Scotland and pushed Ireland close.

The Azzurri should have won on their last visit to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, too, with fly half Paolo Garbisi missing a penalty to win a match that ultimately ended in a 13-all draw.

France team to face Italy in Lille (Sunday 22 February, 3.10pm GMT): 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros, 2 Julien Marchand, 3 Dorian Aldegheri; 4 Thibaud Flament, 5 Emmanuel Meafou; 6 Francois Cros, 7 Oscar Jegou, 8 Anthony Jelonch; 9 Antoine Dupont (capt.), 10 Matthieu Jalibert; 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 12 Fabien Brau-Boirie, 13 Emilien Gailleton, 14 Theo Attissogbe; 15 Thomas Ramos.

Replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Rodrigue Neti, 18 Georges-Henri Colombe, 19 Charles Ollivon, 20 Mickael Guillard, 21 Lenni Nouchi; 22 Baptiste Serin, 23 Pierre-Louis Barassi.

Italy XV: 1 Danilo Fischetti, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 3 Simone Ferrari; 4 Niccolo Cannone, 5 Andrea Zambonin; 6 Michele Lamaro (capt.), 7 Manuel Zuliani, 8 Lorenzo Cannone; 9 Alessandro Fusco, 10 Paolo Garbisi; 11 Monty Ioane, 12 Leonardo Marin, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 14 Louis Lynagh; 15 Ange Capuozzo.

Replacements: 16 Pablo Dimcheff, 17 Mirco Spagnolo, 18 Giosue Zilocchi, 19 Federico Ruzza, 20 Riccardo Favretto, 21 David Odiase; 22 Alessandro Garbisi, 23 Paolo Odogwu.