South African-born flanker Bernard Le Roux has been named to make debut, at number eight,  as one of four changes to the France line up that will play the All Blacks in Christchurch on Saturday.

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France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has also drafted prop Nicolas Mas, lock Christophe Samson and fly-half Frederic Michalak into the side that lost 23-13 in the first Test in Auckland last Saturday.

Michalak and Samson both missed the opening clash against the All Blacks as they were among a contingent of players who arrived in New Zealand late because they were involved in the Top 14 final between Toulon and Castres.

Saint-Andre resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes to accommodate the latecomers but included Brice Dulin, Remi Tales, Mathieu Bastareaud on an eight-man bench.

Le Roux, 24, was rewarded for a fine performance on Tuesday against the Auckland Blues, when a second string France team overpowered the SuperXV outfit 38-15.

“He’s good in the ruck area and has qualities as a jumper, he had a very interesting game on Tuesday,” Saint-Andre said of 24-year-old Racing-Metro loose forward.

Le Roux replaces Fulgence Ouedraogo, who suffered a sprained ankle and will miss the rest of the tour.

France

15 Maxime Medard, 14 Adrien Plante, 13 Florian Fritz, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Yoann Huget, 10 Frederic Michalak,  9 Maxime Machenaud, 8 Bernard Le Roux, 7 Louis Picamoles, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (capt), 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Christophe Samson, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski, 1 Thomas Domingo.

Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Vincent Debaty, 18 Luc Ducalcon, 19 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 20 Yannick Nyanga, 21 Brice Dulin, 22Remi Tales, 23 Mathieu Bastareaud.