France include Michalak as Scotland banking on Blair

FREDERIC MICHALAK has been named in France’s team to play Scotland in Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash at Murrayfield.

The Toulouse fly-half had been struggling with a niggling groin injury but has been included in Bernard Laporte’s starting line-up.

That means uncapped Bourgoin fly-half Benjamin Boyer, who had been tipped to take over the number 10 shirt if Michalak had been ruled out, has had to settle for a place on the bench.

As expected, Toulouse lock Fabien Pelous returns to captain the side after serving a nine-week ban for elbowing Australia hooker Brendan Cannon during November’s Test match against the Wallabies.

Winger Christophe Dominici and full-back Nicolas Brusque have also been named in the team after being recalled to the national fold earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Scotland coach Frank Hadden has defended his decision to start with a half-back pairing of Dan Parks and Mike Blair.

Blair has won the battle at scrum-half ahead of Lion Chris Cusiter, while Parks has held off the challenge of Leeds’ rejuvenated Gordon Ross.

The return of Blair is one of three changes from the side that lost gallantly to New Zealand in November, with Dougie Hall also preferred to Scott Lawson at hooker.

Alastair Kellock will make his first appearance in the Six Nations at lock instead of Craig Hamilton and Glasgow’s Jon Petrie returns to the bench after his injury problems but there is no place in the 22-man squad for his club team-mate Rory Lamont.

Blair and Cusiter have been fighting a healthy duel for the scrum-half berth, but doubts have been raised over Parks’ play with his displays more solid than spectacular.

The Glasgow Warrior was also taunted by sections of the Murrayfield crowd during his admittedly lacklustre performance against the All Blacks.

But Hadden has kept faith with the 27-year-old Australia-born player who already has a total of 19 caps to his name.

Hadden said: “At scrum-half we have two top quality guys to select from and we’re delighted with that.

“I think Chris started twice in the November matches and Mike came on after 20 minutes in the New Zealand game and performed exceptionally well - he deserves the opportunity to start this time.

“But I could put my hand on my heart and say that Chris is going to play a very important part for us in the Six Nations.

“At stand-off, the most pertinent factor is that Gordon has only trained twice with Scotland this season while Dan has been consistent throughout for us .

“Although we’ve got a fairly simple game-plan, it’s just not that straightforward having a stand-off coming in and expecting him to pull the strings straight away.”