Wales make two changes

The 23-year-old Ospreys forward becomes the third different selection at blind-side flanker in as many games.

"I missed out on the Italy game two weeks ago through injury so my aim this weekend was just to be involved," Jones told BBC Wales Sport.

"I've gone one step further so it's a nice surprise. It's a great challenge and hopefully I won't be overawed."

Jones will win only his fifth cap on Saturday, and his only other previous start came on his debut in last November's narrow defeat to South Africa at the Millennium Stadium.

He replaced Dafydd Jones in the Six Nations opener against England, but picked up a collar bone injury late on which ruled him out of the Rome Test a week later.

Even though Jones has only limited experience of playing at number six, Wales coach Mike Ruddock believes his extra bulk will be better suited to the demands of the French pack rather than the handling skills of Jonathan Thomas.

Jones has played the majority of his rugby at number eight for the Ospreys, and openly admitted he has not played enough at blind-side flanker to truly understand the different demands of each position.

His tackle count is massive, his work-rate is huge and the way he reads the game is excellent Ryan Jones on opposite number Serge Betsen

"I played flanker a bit for the now defunct Celtic Warriors and I've played there a few times in training," the 6ft 5ins and 18st 9lbs Jones said.

"It's not so much a position in itself these days. Mike [Ruddock] just want me to go and play the way I have been all year.

"That's taken the pressure off me in that perspective. He wants me to get more involved in the rucks and mauls and leave the ball carrying and fancy play to Mike [Owen] at number eight.

"So I'll probably have less ball in hand, because you obviously don't get to pick up from the base of the scrum. So I'll just have to put the tackles in and do the hard work."

If playing out of position in a Test match for the first time was not enough to worry about, Jones' opposite number will be none other than Serge Betsen.

"He's got it all - he's probably the best back-row forward in the world," Jones said of Betsen, whose place in the France team depends on the results of a fitness test this week.

"His tackle count is massive, his work-rate is huge and the way he reads the game in excellent.

"I'll just get stuck in and fingers crossed. He's a great opponent to see how good you are."