Sebastien Tillous-Borde gets the scrum-half spot for France

France have named Sebastien Tillous-Borde at scrum-half for Saturday's RBS Six Nations opener against Ireland at Croke Park.

The Castres player is selected ahead of Morgan Parra, while Florian Fritz comes in at centre and Clement Poitrenaud is recalled at full-back.

Poitrenaud's inclusion means Maxime Medard moves to the wing, where he displaces Cedric Heymans.

Imanol Harinordoquy takes over at number eight from Louis Picamoles.

Sale's Sebastien Chabal retains his place in the second row, while Nicolas Mas is surprisingly left on the bench - Benoit Lecouls is preferred as prop.

Beauxis has everything to become the great French fly-half for years to come France coach Marc Lievremont

"Tillous-Borde has the athletic dimension to compete with the Irish," said coach Marc Lievremont.

"It's the first time we can rely on Beauxis and we are delighted he is back. It would be wrong to think he is only a kicker of the ball. He has got everything to become the great French fly-half for years to come."

Beauxis, who has 12 caps, was thrust into the limelight during the 2007 World Cup when Lievremont's predecessor Bernard Laporte handed him the number 10 jersey ahead of Frederic Michalak and David Skrela for the quarter-final against New Zealand.

The French beat the favourites 20-18 in Cardiff, but Beauxis was then sidelined for most of last season by a series of injuries.

Tillous-Borde, known in the French squad as "Little Byron" for his resemblance in style and build to the former All Black scrum-half Byron Kelleher at Toulouse, has just four caps.

Beauxis, a man of few words, has been nicknamed "Bernardo" after Zorro's mute servant.

The two young men are approaching Saturday's Croke Park clash without fear.

"It's true we haven't been tested together at the highest level but we have known each other for a long time," Tillous-Borde said.

"Saturday's match is a real challenge but to play alongside Lionel gives me a lot of confidence."

On their last visit to Dublin in 2007, a late Vincent Clerc try gave France a 20-17 victory which denied Ireland an attempt at a Grand Slam.

France: Clement Poitrenaud (Toulouse); Julien Malzieu (Clermont-Auvergne), Florian Fritz, Yannick Jauzion, Maxime Medard (all Toulouse); Lionel Beauxis (Stade Francais), Sebastien Tillous-Borde (Castres); Lionel Faure (Sale), Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Francais), Benoit Lecouls (Toulouse), Sebastien Chabal (Sale), Lionel Nallet (Castres, capt), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz).

Replacements: Benjamin Kayser (Leicester), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Romain Millo-Chluski (Toulouse), Louis Picamoles (Montpellier), Morgan Parra (Bourgoin), Benoit Baby (Clermont-Auvergne), Cedric Heymans (Toulouse).

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