Centre Tony Marsh, who underwent chemotherapy this year for testicular cancer, was named today in the France team for their World Cup opener against Fiji on Saturday.
The New Zealand-born player won the last of his 11 caps in June last year against Australia in Sydney. He returned to action on September 20th when he played for 70 minutes for the French Barbarians against a President's XV featuring the majority of the French World Cup squad.
"We are delighted that Tony is back", said team manager Jo Maso. "We have always said that we would play him again as soon as he had fully recovered. He proved in training that he had recovered and we want to give him as much playing time as possible."
Marsh said he was confident about his physical form but lacked match practice. "Today, I'm very, very happy but I was a bit surprised when (coach) Bernard Laporte told me that I would be in the starting line-up," he said.
"The past is the past and I don't want to think about it any more. I'm concentrating on Saturday's game because it will be a very important game for me personally and for the team."
Laporte has also selected 20-year-old flyhalf Frederic Michalak ahead of the experienced Gerald Merceron to lead the attack and assume goal kicking duties in the pool B match at Brisbane's Lang Park Stadium.
In the pack, France will field six of the forwards who helped win the Six Nations grand slam in 2002; prop Jean-Jacques Crenca, hooker Raphael Ibanez, lock Fabien Pelous, flankers Olivier Magne and Serge Betsen and number eight Imanol Harinordoquy.
Jean-Baptiste Poux will take over from prop Pieter de Villiers, who withdrew from the squad after dislocating a shoulder in a mountain bike accident during a training session at the end of August.
Lock Jerome Thion replaces Olivier Brouzet who is recovering from a shoulder injury but will be available for France's second game against Japan in Townsville on October 18th.
"We are fielding the strongest team that came out of our preparation considering that we have some injury problems," Laporte said. "The players are ready. They will not need extra motivation."
France- 15-Nicolas Brusque; 14-Aurelien Rougerie, 13-Tony Marsh, 12-Yannick Jauzion, 11-Christophe Dominici; 10-Frederic Michalak, 9-Fabien Galthie (captain); 8-Imanol Harinordoquy, 7-Olivier Magne, 6-Serge Betsen, 5-Jerome Thion, 4-Fabien Pelous, 3-Jean-Baptiste Poux, 2-Raphael Ibanez, 1-Jean-Jacques Crenca.
Replacements:16-Yannick Bru, 17-Olivier Milloud, 18-Olivier Brouzet, 19-Christian Labit, 20-Gerald Merceron, 21-Damien Traille, 22-Pepito Elhorga.