France v Tonga
France hand debut to Sofiane Guitoune
ESPN Staff
November 14, 2013
Gael Fickou starts at outside centre for France © Getty Images
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France have handed a debut to Sofiane Guitoune in one of five changes ahead of Saturday's Test against Tonga.

Guitoune replaces Yohan Huget on the wing while Gael Fickou starts ahead of Florian Fritz. In the forwards, Fulgence Ouedraogo replaces Wenceslas Lauret while Sebastien Vahaamahina comes in for Pascal Pape. Dimitri Szarzewski starts at hooker ahead of Benjamin Kayser.

"Guitoune senses rugby, he is a finisher, he knows how to find space," Saint-Andre said. "It's no coincidence that he's the top scorer in the Top 14 league (for Perpignan)."

Frederic Michalak and Mathieu Bastareaud both return to the squad and will be on the bench in Le Havre.

"We have to surpass ourselves, get back to winning ways and remove this taste of defeat from 2013 from our mouths," Saint-Andre said. "We can't think about South Africa, we're preparing for Tonga and we need a win."

France: Brice Dulin, Sofiane Guitoune, Gael Fickou, Wesley Fofana, Maxime Medard, Remi Tales, Morgan Parra; Yannick Forestier, Dimitri Szarzewski, Nicolas Mas, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Yoann Maestri, Thierry Dusautior (captain), Fulgence Ouedraogo, Damien Chouly

Reserves: Benjamin Kayser, Vincent Debaty, Rabah Slimani, Pascal Pape, Bernard Leroux, Jonathan Pelissie, Frederic Michalak, Mathieu Bastareaud

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

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