Chabal keeps his place for trip to Italy

Sebastien Chabal has retained his place in the France XV for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash in Italy.

Chabal was expected to be dropped from the side which lost 17-9 to England last time out, but the Racing Metro number eight has been chosen ahead of Imanol Harinordoquy.

Dimitri Yachvili will again start at scrum-half while prop Sylvain Marconnet replaces Thomas Domingo.

The France team is: Maxime Medard; Yoann Huget, Aurelien Rougerie, Yannick Jauzion, Vincent Clerc; Francois Trinh-Duc, Dimitri Yachvili; Sylvain Marconnet, William Servat, Nicolas Mas, Julien Pierre, Lionel Nallet, Thierry Dusautoir (captain), Julien Bonnaire, Sebastien Chabal.

Replacements: Guilhem Guirado, Luc Ducalcon, Jerome Thion, Imanol Harinordoquy, Morgan Parra, Damien Traille, Clement Poitrenaud.