France have named Frederic Michalak at outhalf for their Six Nations opener against Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday, despite a groin injury.

"Frederic has been in pain for a month but he has played very good games with Toulouse in the Heineken Cup and the French championship and we are confident he will be at his best," team manager Jo Maso said.

Coach Bernard Laporte said Michalak had been exempted from training as a precaution since the team assembled on Sunday.

The French selectors made four changes to the team who defeated South Africa in the last game of France's unbeaten November series.

Captain and lock Fabien Pelous, who missed the 26-20 win over the Springboks because of a nine-week suspension, returns to the starting line-up and will play in his 11th Six Nations.

Wing Christophe Dominici and fullback Nicolas Brusque replace Aurelien Rougerie and Thomas Castaignede, who were not available because of injuries. Prop Sylvain Marconnet was preferred to Olivier Milloud, who will be on the bench.

"I'm sorry for the players who will miss Sunday's game, but in a sense it's a good thing because it will help others to stay in contention and we'll need to have two or three guys for every position before we name our World Cup squad," Laporte said.

The choice of Marconnet means France will field the full Stade Francais front row against Scotland. Four of their forwards will come from the Paris club, as Remy Martin kept the blindside flanker position.

Toulouse will provide two players to the pack, Pelous and flanker Yannick Nyanga.

The European champions will dominate the backline with five players, scrumhalf and goalkicker Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, Michalak, centres Yannick Jauzion and Florian Fritz and wing Cedric Heymans.

Scotland coach Frank Hadden has defended his decision to start with a half-back pairing of Dan Parks and Mike Blair.

Blair has won the battle at scrumhalf ahead of Lion Chris Cusiter, while Parks has held off the challenge of Leeds' rejuvenated Gordon Ross. The return of Blair is one of three changes from the side that lost gallantly to New Zealand in November, with Dougie Hall also preferred to Scott Lawson at hooker.

RugbyFixtures

FRIDAY

Under-21 International: Ireland v Italy, Dubarry Park, 7.35.

SATURDAY

Six Nations Championship: Ireland v Italy, Lansdowne Road, 1.30; England v Wales, Twickenham, 3.30.

Women's International: Ireland v Spain, Donnybrook, 5.0.

SUNDAY

Six Nations Championship: Scotland v France, Murrayfield, 3.0.