Dupont understudy Paul Graou set for France debut against Japan in Tokyo

Toulouse scrum-half Paul Graou is set to earn his first France cap from the bench when Les Bleus face Japan in Tokyo on Saturday in round three of the Nations Championship.

The 28-year-old, who serves as Antoine Dupont’s back-up at Top 14 champions Toulouse, is the sole debutant in Fabien Galthié’s squad for the match against Eddie Jones’ Brave Blossoms.

Galthié has made four changes to the starting XV that beat Australia 42-26 last week, with an entirely new front row. Jefferson Poirot, Maxime Lamothe and Régis Montagne will start in the front row, while last week’s hooker Peato Mauvaka drops to the bench. Alexandre Roumat comes in at number eight, pushing Marko Gazzotti to the flank, with Oscar Jégou dropping out of the squad altogether.

The backline remains unchanged, meaning Matthieu Jalibert continues in his new full-back role, a position in which he impressed during the win in Brisbane.

On the bench alongside Graou, Hugo Auradou, Tom Staniforth, Killian Tixeront and Kalvin Gourgues retain their places. They are joined by Mauvaka, loosehead Reda Wardi, and tighthead Sipili Falatea, who earns a recall to the national squad for the first time in three years.

France XV: 15. Matthieu Jalibert; 14. Théo Attissogbe, 13. Fabien Brau-Boirie, 12. Yoram Moefana, 11. Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang; 10. Romain Ntamack, 9. Maxime Lucu; 1. Jefferson Poirot, 2. Maxime Lamothe, 3. Régis Montagne, 4. Florian Verhaeghe, 5. Emmanuel Meafou, 6. Lenni Nouchi, 7. Marko Gazzotti, 8. Alexandre Roumat.

Replacements: 16. Peato Mauvaka, 17. Reda Wardi, 18. Sipili Falatea, 19. Hugo Auradou, 20. Tom Staniforth, 21. Killian Tixeront, 22. Paul Graou, 23. Kalvin Gourgues.