Toulouse flyer Maxime Medard will make his international debut on Saturday © Getty Images

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Matches: France 12 - 6 Argentina

Teams: Argentina | France

Electric Toulouse full-back Maxime Medard will make his France debut against Argentina in Marseille on Saturday.

Medard forms part of a back three also including Clermont Auvergne's Julien Malzieu and fellow Toulouse pace-man Cedric Heymans. Experienced centre Yannick Jauzion takes the 13 shirt next to Benoit Baby while fly-half David Skrela is partnered by Toulouse team-mate Jean-Baptiste Elissalde at half-back.

Skrela is covered from the bench by Damien Traille, with both Lionel Beauxis and Francois Trinh-Duc missing through injury.

In the pack, skipper Lionel Nallet is partnered by inexperienced Toulouse lock Romain Millo-Chluski at the expense of Sebastien Chabal, who starts on the bench. In the back row Imanol Harinordoquy partners Louis Picamoles and the rock-solid Thierry Dusatoir.

Up front there is a start for explosive Stade Francais hooker Dimitri Szarzewski alongside Benoit Lecouls and Fabien Barcella.

France are currently on a run of six defeats in seven meetings with the Pumas, and have two defeats in last season's World Cup to avenge. Coach Marc Lievremont has selected a strong and largely experienced line-up with a view of reversing this worrying trend.

Argentina coach Santiago Phelan has named a strong Pumas side for the Stade Velodrome clash.

As expected, fly-half Juan Martin Hernandez returns to the line-up after missing the Pumas' 63-9 defeat at the hands of South Africa in the summer with a hand injury. The Stade Francais star will partner scrum-half Nicolas Vergallo as the Pumas seek their third successive victory over the French after two victories of their hosts during last year's Rugby World Cup.

Phelan included four new faces in the training squad named last month but has handed only one of those players - prop Juan Pablo Orlandi - a debut with scrum-half Agustin Figuerola is amongst the replacements.

The front row also includes prop Rodrigo Roncero who is appealing against a ban for foul play picked up while on duty for French Top 14 club Stade Francais. He has been cleared for this weekend's clash but his availability for the Pumas' subsequent clashes with Italy (November 15) and Ireland (November 22) remain unclear.

Elsewhere No.8 Juan Manuel Leguizamon has been ruled out of the clash after tearing a calf muscle and is replaced by Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe while the side is skippered by Leinster's Felipe Contepomi

"Both teams have changed their staff, their players and undoubtedly their game. Just like France, we are rebuilding," said Phelan. "We want to ignore the past, just focus on what is ahead of us," he added. "However, we want to keep the spirit we had during this World Cup."

France: Maxime Medard, Julien Malzieu, Yannick Jauzion, Benoit Baby, Cedric Heymans, David Skrela, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, Louis Picamoles, Imanol Harinordoquy, Thierry Dusautoir, Lionel Nallet (c), Romain Millo-Chluski, Benoit Lecouls, Dimitri Szarzewski, Fabien Barcella

Replacements: Benjamin Kayser, Nicolas Mas, Sebastien Chabal, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Morgan Parra, Damien Traille, Alexis Palisson

Argentina: Rodrigo Roncero, Mario Ledesma, Juan Pablo Orlandi, Rimas Álvarez Kairelis, Patricio Albacete, Martín Durand, Álvaro Galindo, Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, Nicolás Vergallo, Juan Martín Hernández, Horacio Agulla, Felipe Contepomi (c), Gonzalo Tiesi, Francisco Leonelli, Bernardo Stortoni

Replacements: Alberto Vernet Basualdo, Marcos Ayerza, Esteban Lozada, Alejandro Campos, Agustín Figuerola, Federico Martín Aramburú, Rafael Carballo

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)

Touch judges: Mark Lawrence (South Africa), Peter Allan (Scotland)
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)
Citing Commissioner: Achille Reali (Italy)