Centre Yoram Moefana will replace the injured Jonathan Danty in host nation France's side for the Rugby World Cup opener with New Zealand, head coach Fabien Galthié announced on Wednesday, September 6.
La Rochelle's Danty, 30, suffered a hamstring injury late last month and will miss Friday's highly-anticipated match at the Stade de France in Paris.
Bordeaux-Begles' Moefana, 23, is in line to make his 15th Test start against the three-time World Cup winners.
"Yoram has three years of experience with us," Galthié told reporters. "We've worked on a lot of combinations and we have to be able to adapt. During this competition, there are four group games, then potentially three knockouts. This France team will change."
There are two other changes from the warm-up win over Australia on August 27 as lock Cameron Woki comes in for the injured Paul Willemse and prop Reda Wardi starts instead of Jean-Baptise Gros.
"At tight-head we have Reda then Jean-Baptiste to finish," Galthié said. "We have what we need," he added.
As expected, ex-France captain Galthié has decided against including Bastien Chalureau in his matchday squad, with Romain Taofifenua taking his usual spot with the substitutes.
On Monday, the Montpellier lock denied he was racist after being at the center of a row about his inclusion in the squad following a conviction in 2020 for a racially motivated attack, which he is appealing.
On the bench, Galthié has decided to go with five forwards and three backs with cente Arthur Vincent the beneficiary instead of a 6-2 split.
Leading contenders France have lost just twice July 2021 and last suffered defeat at home four months earlier.
"With our form we thought we had to balance our power and strength in a more classical way," Galthié said. He said he had selected "players who can bring energy at the right time if things aren't going the way we want it to."
Toulouse tight-head Dorian Aldegheri has been picked among the replacements ahead of Bordeaux-Begles' Sipili Falatea, who is Moefana's uncle.
Aldegheri, 30, has won the Top 14 title three times with his club, and featured for his country just 12 times. "Dorian is there because he deserves it, he has had an extraordinary path with us and his club," Galthié said. "He's very important for us," he added.
Anton Lienert-Brown will replace the injured Jordie Barrett at center for New Zealand's Rugby World Cup opener with France, head coach Ian Foster said on Wednesday. Barrett, 26, missed training this week with a knee issue. Experienced lock Brodie Retallick, loose forward Shannon Frizell and prop Tyrel Lomax are also sidelined with fitness problems.
France (15-1):
Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Gaël Fickou, Yoram Moefana, Gabin Villière; Matthieu Jalibert, Antoine Dupont (captain); Grégory Alldritt, Charles Ollivon, François Cros; Thibaud Flament, Cameron Woki; Uini Atonio, Julien Marchand, Reda Wardi
Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Dorian Aldegheri, Romain Taofifenua, Paul Boudehent, Maxime Lucu, Arthur Vincent, Melvyn Jaminet
New Zealand (15-1):
Beauden Barrett; Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown, Mark Telea; Richie Mo'unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (captain), Dalton Papali'i; Scott Barrett, Samuel Whitelock; Nepo Laulala, Dane Coles, Ethan de Groot
Replacements: Samisoni Taukei'aho, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Tupou Vaa'i, Luke Jacobson, Finlay Christie, David Havili, Leicester Fainga'anuku