Guy Noves has named his first France squad as head coach, for the upcoming Six Nations. There is a surprise inclusion for winger Virimi Vatakawa, who has taken the sevens world by storm in recent years, but who has little top level experience in the 15s game.

There is only one out-and-out fly-half in the squad – Jules Plisson – with Jean-Marc Doussain, whose previous caps have all come at scrum-half, named as a secondary option having played there in recent times for Toulouse.

Racing’s young hooker Camille Chat is named as captain Guilhem Guirado’s alternative, while the midfield quartet of Fofana, Fickou, Danty and Lamerat provide a real blend of power, pace and silkiness.

FRANCE SQUAD FOR THE 2016 RBS 6 NATIONS

Forwards (16)

ATONIO Uini – Atlantique Stade Rochelais
BEN AROUS Eddy – Racing 92
BURBAN Antoine – Stade Francais Paris
CAMARA Yacouba – Stade Toulousain
CHAT Camille – Racing 92
CHOULY Damien – ASM Clermont Auvergne
FLANQUART Alexandre – Stade Français Paris
GOURDON Kevin – Atlantique Stade Rochelais
GUIRADO Guilhem – RC Toulon (Cap)
JEDRASIAK Paul – ASM Clermont Auvergne
LAURET Wenceslas – Racing 92
MAESTRI Yoann – Stade Toulousain
PICAMOLES Louis – Stade Toulousain
POIROT Jefferson – Union Bordeaux Bègles
SLIMANI Rabah – Stade Français Paris
VAHAAMAHINA Sébastien – ASM Clermont Auvergne

Backs (15)

BEZY Sébastien – Stade Toulousain
BONNEVAL Hugo – Stade Français Paris
DANTY Jonathan – Stade Français Paris
DOUSSAIN Jean-Marc – Stade Toulousain
DUMOULIN Alexandre – Racing 92
FALL Benjamin – Montpellier Hérault Rugby
FICKOU Gael – Stade Toulousain
FOFANA Wesley – ASM Clermont Auvergne
LAMERAT Rémi – Castres Olympique
MACHENAUD Maxime – Racing 92
MEDARD Maxime – Stade Toulousain
PARRA Morgan – ASM Clermont Auvergne
PLISSON Jules – Stade Français Paris
SPEDDING Scott – ASM Clermont Auvergne
VAKATAWA Virimi – FFR

Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images