The defensive skills of star out-half Thomas Castaignede have convinced France to move him to outside centre for the test against New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday. The promising Hugo Mola will fill in at out-half, manager Jo Maso said yesterday. France is fielding a relatively inexperienced side on Saturday, with many of its integral players nursing injuries at home.
Veteran full back Jean-Luc Sadourny, with 66 caps, will be on the bench after an eight-month recuperation.
His place will be filled by Xavier Garbajosa, who has had just eight outings for France.
Mola played full back against Western Samoa, which France won 39-22 and out-half against New Zealand A on Sunday, which the tourists lost 24-45.
Powerful playmaker Emile Ntamack has been named at inside centre, in line with the tourists' practice of switching their inside and outside centres to suit their game.
The All Blacks have emerged from a disastrous 1998 campaign with growing confidence after a 22-11 win over New Zealand A and a 71-13 thumping of Samoa.
Castaignede had played outside centre before and was the best tackler in the team, Maso added. Mola had performed well to date in reading and directing the game.
Meanwhile, Gary Teichmann will captain world champions South Africa against Wales in the opening game at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
The number eight missed the 101-0 defeat of Italy on Saturday with a knee injury but will lead the Springboks as skipper for a record 35th time against Wales.
Coach Nick Mallett has made seven changes from the side that started the rout against the Italians in Durban.
France: Garbajosa; Sarramea, Castaignede, Ntamack, Dominici; Mola, Mignoni; Juillet, Magne, Costes, Auradou, Pelous, Tournaire, Ibanez (captain), Califano. Replacements: Galthie, Lamaison, Sadourny, Aqua, Gerard, Crenca, Maso. SOUTH AFRITerblanche, P Muller, J Mulder, P Rossow; B Van Straaten, W Swanepoel; R Kempson, N Drotske, C Visagie, S Boome, K Otto, C Krige, R Erasmus, G Teichmann. Replacements: B Paulse, G Du Toit, D Von Hoesslin, A Vos, A Venter, O Le Roux, C Marais.
