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Six Nations | France and Wales name teams for Friday's opener

France and Wales have named their starting teams for Friday's Six Nations opener in Paris.

19-year-old centre Romain Ntamack will start his first international match for France after catching the eye with Toulouse in recent months, but there's no place for Mathieu Bastareaud in the squad.

Ntamack scored 17 points for France U20s in their 34-24 win over Ireland in last year's U20 Six Nations, and the talented teenager has been tipped for a bright future.

Scrum-half Morgan Parra and centre Wesley Fofana have been recalled by Jacques Brunel for the clash at the Stade de France, while debutant lock Paul Willemse is also in the squad.

Tomos Williams will make his Six Nations debut for Wales at scrum-half, forming a half-back partnership with Gareth Anscombe for Warren Gatland's side.

Full-back Leigh Halfpenny (concussion), centre Scott Williams (ankle), out-half Rhys Patchell (hamstring), Nicky Smith (ankle), and Ellis Jenkins (knee) miss out through injury, but Ross Moriarty has returned.

Wales enter the game on a nine match winning streak, and have only lost to France once in the last seven years.

Gatland has claimed that his team will win the Six Nations if they triumph in Paris, and the Wales head coach will be dreaming of a third Grand Slam success in his final season in the role.

France: Maxime Medard, Damian Penaud, Wesley Fofana, Romain Ntamack, Yoann Huget, Camille Lopez, Morgan Parra; Louis PIcamoles, Arthur Iturria, Wenceslas Lauret, Paul Willemse, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Uini Atonio, Guilhem Guirado (capt), Jefferson Poirot.

Replacements: Julien Marchand, Dany Priso, Demba Bamba, Felix Lambey, Gregory Alldritt, Baptiste Serin, Gael Fickou, Geoffrey Doumayrou.

Wales: Liam Williams, George North, Jonathan Davies, Hadleigh Parkes, Josh Adams, Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Ross Moriarty, Justin Tipuric, Josh Navidi, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Adam Beard, Tomas Francis, Ken Owens, Rob Evans.

Replacements: Elliot Dee, Wyn Jones, Samson Lee, Cory Hill, Aaron Wainwright, Gareth Davies, Dan Biggar, Owen Watkin.

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