Michalak and Elissalde to face England

Frederic Michalak and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde will form the half-back partnership combination for France when they take on England in a World Cup warm-up match in Marseille tomorrow.

The Toulouse pair have been given the nod over David Skrela and Pierre Mignoni, who started at fly-half and scrum-half respectively in France’s 21-15 win over the world champions at Twickenham last weekend.

Star centre Yannick Jauzion returns after a back problem while Christophe Dominici and Cedric Heymans start on the wings ahead of Aurelien Rougerie, who is on the bench.

There are three changes to the pack that was largely dominated by England last Saturday, all of them coming in the back row.

Toulouse pair Yannick Nyanga and Thierry Dusautoir start as flankers, with Imanol Harinordoquy at number eight.

Les Bleus have stuck with the experienced second-row pairing of Jerome Thion and Fabien Pelous, meaning the latter will make his 112th appearance for France.

That eclipses the national record of 111 currently held by former centre Philippe Sella.

Nine of the starting XV for France play their club rugby for Top 14 giants Toulouse.

Teams for France versus England, Stade Velodrome, Marseille, tomorrow, 8pm BST.

France: C Poitrenaud (Toulouse); C Heymans (Toulouse), D Traille (Biarritz), Y Jauzion (Toulouse), C Dominici (Stade Francais); F Michalak (Toulouse), J-B Elissalde (Toulouse); O Milloud (Bourgoin), R Ibanez (Wasps, capt), J-B Poux (Toulouse), F Pelous (Toulouse), J Thion (Biarritz), Y Nyanga (Toulouse), T Dusautoir (Toulouse), I Harinordoquy (Biarritz).

Replacements: S Bruno (Sale Sharks), N Mas (Perpignan), L Nallet (Castres), J Bonnaire (Bourgoin), P Mignoni (Clermont-Auvergne), D Skrela (Stade Francais), A Rougerie (Clermont-Auvergne).

England: M Cueto (Sale Sharks); J Lewsey (Wasps), D Hipkiss (Leicester), A Farrell (Saracens), J Robinson (unattached); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), S Perry (Bristol); P Freshwater (Perpignan), M Regan (Bristol), P Vickery (Wasps, capt), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Bath), M Corry (Leicester), T Rees (Wasps), N Easter (Harlequins).

Replacements: L Mears (Bath), M Stevens (Bath), J Worsley (Wasps), L Dallaglio (Wasps), A Gomarsall (Harlequins), O Barkley (Bath), P Sackey (Wasps).

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland).