Maxime Lucu will start at scrum-half to deputise for Antoine Dupont as coach Fabien Galthie stuck with his premium side for France's final Rugby World Cup Pool A game, a knockout-style clash against Italy on Friday.
Lucu will pair up with Bordeaux-Begles club partner, out-half Matthieu Jalibert, as Les Bleus look to wrap up top spot in the group and set up a potential quarter-final clash with defending champions South Africa, who are widely expected to end up second in Pool B behind Ireland if Andy Farrell's side win or draw their match with Scotland.
Should they lose without picking up two bonus points, France will be eliminated and the Azzurri would go through, and Les Bleus are well aware that Italy will not look anything like the side who were destroyed 86-17 by New Zealand last week.
"They're a Latin team and they're wounded. That's when things get dangerous. We have to be very careful because they will have nothing to lose," Galthie told a press conference on Wednesday, saying France were now in the "knockout phase" of the tournament.
"We played them in Rome last year in the Six Nations and it was a very tough test," he added, referring to France's 29-24 victory.
"We're expecting Italy to be completely different than against New Zealand," flanker Charles Ollivon said.
"We debriefed our game against them in the Six Nations and did not look too much into what they've done against New Zealand. It will be very physical in the first 20 minutes and they will not miss as many tackles as against the All Blacks."
Dupont [above] was ruled out of the game after fracturing his cheekbone in a head-to-head clash during France's 96-0 win against Namibia and the 26-year-old only made his return to the squad at the weekend, resuming light training as he awaits the green light from his surgeon to start playing rugby again.
The only other change from the team who started against Namibia is Gregory Alldritt returning to take the number 8 shirt after nursing a minor knee injury, forming the third row with captain Ollivon and Anthony Jelonch, who was again preferred to Francois Cros.
As expected, Lucu will start while Bapstite Couilloud was named among the 'finishers'.
"Max and Matthieu complement each other. Technically, Max is very good, he has never disappointed and his kicking game is outstanding," said Galthie.
Meanwhile, Hame Faiva and Pietro Ceccarelli make their first starts at the Rugby World Cup as Italy coach Kieran Crowley made five personnel changes.
After the disastrous defeat to New Zealand, Crowley has moved Ange Capuozzo from wing to full-back, with Tommaso Allan returning to fly-half and Paolo Garbisi moving to centre.
With Capuozzo at full-back, Pierre Bruno comes in as wing, with Luca Morisi dropping to the bench to make way for Garbisi at centre.
"Our focus will be on our performance," Crowley said, "We worked during the week thinking about this next game. We want to honour our identity as a team and try to take a step forward."
Italy have not beaten France in 10 years.
France: Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu; Cyril Baille, Peato Mauvaka, Uini Atonio; Cameron Woki, Thibaud Flament; Anthony Jelonch, Charles Ollivon (capt), Gregory Alldritt.
Replacements: Pierre Bourgarit, Reda Wardi, Dorian Aldegheri, Romain Taofifenua, Francois Cros, Baptiste Couilloud, Yoram Moefana, Melvyn Jaminet.
Italy: Ange Capuozzo; Pierre Bruno, Juan Ignacio Brex, Paolo Garbisi, Montanna Ioane; Tommaso Allan, Stephen Varney; Simone Ferrari, Hame Faiva, Pietro Ceccarelli; Niccolo Cannone, Federico Ruzza; Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro (capt), Lorenzo Cannone.
Replacements: Marco Manfredi, Federico Zani, Marco Riccioni, David Sisi, Manuel Zuliani, Alessandro Fusco, Luca Morisi, Lorenzo Pani.
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