Four new caps in France squad

Stade Français flyhalf Jules Plisson has been named in France's 30-man training squad ahead of the Six Nations.

Plisson has been selected ahead of both Frédéric Michalak and François Trinh-Duc. The 22-year-old is one of four uncapped players in the squad, along with Stade Français team-mates, fullback Hugo Bonneval and flank Antoine Burban, and Castres fullback Geoffrey Palis.

Fulgence Ouedraogo, Morgan Parra, Camille Lopez and Florian Fritz are notable injury absentees.

The group will assemble for a three-day training camp at Canet-en-Roussillon on the French south coast, instead of French headquarters Marcoussis, with the aim of profiting from better weather conditions.

The squad will be trimmed to 23 players on 22 January before heading back to the outskirts of Paris to prepare for the Six Nations opener against England a week later.

France squad:

Forwards: Thomas Domingo (Clermont), Yannick Forestier (Castres), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing-Métro), Nicolas Mas (Montpellier), Rabah Slimani (Stade Français), Alexandre Flanquart (Stade Français), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Pascal Papé (Stade Français), Sébastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse, capt), Bernard le Roux (Racing-Métro), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Damien Chouly (Clermont), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse), Antoine Burban (Stade Français).

Backs: Jean-Marc Doussain (Toulouse), Maxime Machenaud (Racing-Métro), Jules Plisson (Stade Français), Rémi Talès (Castres), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Gaël Fickou (Toulouse), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon), Sofiane Guitoune (Perpignan), Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Maxime Médard (Toulouse), Geoffrey Palis (Castres), Hugo Bonneval (Stade Français), Brice Dulin (Castres).

Photo: John Berry/Getty Images

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