After winning 45 of his 46 caps as inside centre, Damien Traille has been handed the chance to challenge Frederic Michalak as France's first choice flyhalf for the 2007 World Cup.
"I know I lack experience at number 10 but I like the position," the 27-year-old Biarritz player said today after being named as flyhalf for France's first test against New Zealand on Saturday in Lyon, just his second international outing in the position.
"A flyhalf has to use his initiative, face up to his responsibilities whereas a centre depends on the decisions of the number eight, the scrumhalf and the flyhalf," he added.
Coach Bernard Laporte recalled number eight Elvis Vermeulen, three years after he won the last of his three caps, in their starting line-up for the first test against the All Blacks.
He selected 22-year-old hooker Dimitri Szarzewski ahead of the experienced Raphael Ibanez and Thierry Dusautoir ahead of Remy Martin as flanker to replace Serge Betsen, who was omitted from the 22-player squad due to a lack of form.
France will face the All Blacks on Saturday in Lyon before hosting them a week later at the Stade de France. New Zealand thrashed them 45-6 the last time the two teams met in November 2004.
"We know the All Blacks, they are currently the best team in the world. They have lost only two of the 26 matches they have played in three years," said Laporte.
"The last time we faced them they smashed us to pieces. Saturday's test will be a real challenge. We selected in-form players to answer this challenge."
Laporte said the 27-year-old Vermeulen, who won his three caps during tours to South Africa in 2001 and New Zealand in 2003, had been recalled to add physical power to the backrow.
"We dropped him before the 2003 World Cup because he lacked consistency and was too slow around the pitch but he has done a lot of work. He has lost 7kg during the summer without losing his power and has improved his speed," the French coach added.
"He deserved another opportunity to prove his worth, it's up to him now to prove that he deserves to be a member of our World Cup squad."
France: Julien Laharrague; Aurelien Rougerie, Florian Fritz, Yannick Jauzion, Christophe Dominici; Damien Traille, Dimitri Yachvili; Elvis Vermeulen, Julien Bonnaire, Thierry Dusautoir; Pascal Pape, Fabien Pelous (captain); 3-Pieter de Villiers, Dimitri Szarzewski, Sylvain Marconnet. Replacements: Raphael Ibanez, Olivier Milloud, Lionel Nallet, Remy Martin, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, David Marty, Cedric Heymans.
