Alain Penaud was given the opportunity yesterday to restart his international career when he was named as outhalf in the French side to face England in this Saturday's clash at the Stade de France.

Penaud, winning his 32nd cap but his first since the second Test against Australia in June 1997, is the only change to the team that thrashed Wales. He replaces the injured Christophe Lamaison.

The 30-year-old, who was hailed as the golden boy when he made his debut in 1992 but who has fallen out of favour several times since, gets the chance to renew his partnership with scrumhalf Fabien Galthie because Lamaison failed to recover from a knee sprain. Penaud has shown impressive form for Toulouse in the past six months.

However, while France will miss Lamaison's points kicking prowess - he scored 21 points against Wales - coach Bernard Laporte said that the team's overall game plan would not differ too much.

Laporte said that centre Richard Dourthe would take the penalties and conversions.

England, meanwhile, were playing down any injury fears surrounding full back Matt Perry.

The Bath player missed training yesterday because of a stiff leg. But the England management say he will participate in today's session at Chantilly.

Wing Craig Moir has been force to pull out of the Scotland A side to face Ireland at Donnybrook tomorrow, so Craig Joiner is promoted from the replacements' bench, with Alistair Murdoch coming into the squad.

France: T Castaignede (Castres); E Ntamack (Toulouse), R Dourthe (Dax), T Lombard (Stade Francais), C Dominici (Stade Francais); A Penaud (Toulouse), F Galthie (Colomiers); C Califano (Toulouse), M Dal Maso (Colomiers), F Tournaire (Toulouse), L Matiu (Biarritz), O Brouzet (Begles-Bordeaux), A Benazzi (Agen), O Magne (Montferrand), F Pelous (Toulouse, capt). Replacements: D Venditti (Brive), S Glas (Bourgoin), C Laussucq (Stade Francais), T Lievremont (Perpignan), S Betsen (Biarritz), P De Villiers (Stade Francaise), R Ibanez (Perpignan).