The hosts on Friday are without four first-choice flyhalves, necessitating the inclusion of the scrumhalf at No 10.
Antoine Dupont will wear the French No 10 shirt on Friday. Picture: Harry Murphy – Nations Championship/Nations Championship via Getty Images
France coach Fabien Galthie announced on Wednesday that captain Antoine Dupont would play at flyhalf against South Africa in their Nations Championship match on Friday in Paris.
Les Bleus are missing their four first-choice number 10s in Romain Ntamack, Matthieu Jalibert, Antoine Hastoy and Thomas Ramos, who usually plays at fullback but is also a top-class flyhalf.
Dupont and Maxime Lucu had been widely expected to line up in the half-back positions, but with the captain retaining his scrumhalf spot.
Lucu had come on at flyhalf outside Dupont against Fiji last week to replace Ntamack, who suffered a shoulder injury just past the half-hour mark.
But against the Boks, their roles will be reversed.
Galthie has opted to beef up his pack against the fearsome Springbok forwards on Friday night at the Stade de France, with Julien Marchand picked in place of Maxime Lamothe at hooker.
Former captain Gregory Alldritt makes his return to the team for the first time in a year at No 8 with fellow back-rower Paul Boudehent injured.
France team: Theo Attissogbe; Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, Kalvin Gourgues, Yoram Moefana, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Antoine Dupont (capt), Maxime Lucu; Gregory Alldritt, Cameron Woki, Francois Cros; Mickael Guillard, Florian Verhaeghe; Sipili Falatea, Julien Marchand, Jean-Baptiste Gros. Bench: Peato Mauvaka, Rodrigue Neti, Regis Montagne, Charles Ollivon, Tom Staniforth, Esteban Capilla, Axel Desperes, Emilien Gailleton
