Chabal returns for France

Sebastien Chabal will play at lock when Marc Lievremont's fresh-faced side to take on Australia in the first Test in Sydney on Saturday.

Chabal was the face of the 2007 Rugby World Cup on home soil but despite playing 13 internationals last year, Lievremont did not include the Sale number eight in the this year's Six Nations squads.

With so many of France's front line players missing the two-Test tour because of club commitments, the experience of the 30-year-old veteran will be vital against a full strength Australia side.

Lievremont has handed first caps to two players in the starting side - wing Alexis Palisson and prop Benoit Lecouls - while six of the seven replacements will be making their international debuts, including Lievremont's brother Matthieu.

"In my opinion, we have a very good balance with just two players starting for the first time," Lievremont said today. "We tried to get some experienced players to start this game."

Although there are a handful of experienced players in the side, such as centre Damien Traille with 63 caps and flanker Imanol Harinordoquy with 45, a host of players have had little exposure at this level.

Traille's centre partner Francois Trinh-Duc has just five caps, wing Sebastien Thiery has two and outhalf Benjamin Boyet three.

In the forwards, backrow pair Fulgence Ouedraogo (six) and Louis Picamoles (three) have just nine caps between them, while loosehead prop Lionel Faure has only played three internationals.

Despite the relative inexperience, Lievremont was bullish ahead of the game today and confident of causing an upset.

"What a question - yes I think we are going to play well on Saturday and win."

The 20-year-old Lecouls added: "I'm very happy to be given a new experience to play at this level against a great team.

"We'll have to knuckle down and do everything we can to quickly find team cohesion and produce the best possible performance."

France: Pepito Elhorga; Alexis Palisson, Damien Traille, Francois Trinh-Duc, Sebastien Thiery; Benjamin Boyet, Dmitri Yachvili; Benoit Lecouls, Sebastien Bruno, Lionel Faure; Lionel Nallet  (captain), Sebastien Chabal; Imanol Harinordoquy,  Louis Picamoles, Fulgence Ouedraogo

Replacements: Benjamin Kayser, Renaud Boyoud, David Couzinet, Matthieu Lievremont, Sebastien Tillous-Borde, Thibault Lacroix, David Janin.