Pelous set to match Sella record

Fabien Pelous will make his return to international rugby tomorrow after being named in France’s team for the World Cup warm-up match against England at Twickenham.

The Toulouse lock, who has not played for Les Bleus since November because of an ankle injury, will this weekend equal Philippe Sella’s national record of 111 caps when he partners Jerome Thion in the second row.

Prop Pieter De Villiers sustained a calf injury in training on Thursday and has been left out of the 22 completely.

Nicolas Mas, who is not part of France’s 30-man World Cup party but has been training with Les Bleus over the past fortnight, has been drafted in and will start on the bench.

Star centre Yannick Jauzion, who has been troubled with a back injury this week, has been named in the starting XV but will take a fitness test on the morning of the match.

If Jauzion fails his test, Damien Traille – who is not in the current squad of 22 – will be called into the team to partner David Marty in midfield.

Les Bleus have decided to go with the David Skrela-Pierre Mignoni combination at half-back, meaning Toulouse duo Frederic Michalak and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde have to settle for a place on the bench.

Aurelien Rougerie has been given the nod over Cedric Heymans on the wing.

Heymans will act as cover for full-back and the wing, while Stade Francais back-row forward Remy Martin is back in the team after missing the RBS 6 Nations Championship through injury.

Julien Bonnaire moves from flanker to number eight to accommodate the arrival of Martin.

France: C Poitrenaud; V Clerc (both Toulouse), D Marty (Perpignan), Y Jauzion (Toulouse), A Rougerie (Clermont-Auvergne); D Skrela (Stade Francais), P Mignoni (Clermont-Auvergne); O Milloud (Bourgoin), R Ibanez (Wasps, capt), J-B Poux, F Pelous (both Toulouse), J Thion, S Betsen (both Biarritz), R Martin (Stade Francais), J Bonnaire (Bourgoin).

Replacements: D Szarzewski (Stade Francais), N Mas (Perpignan), S Chabal (Sale), Y Nyanga, J-B Elissalde, F Michalak, C Heymans (all Toulouse).