BASQUEING IN LIGHT: The Basque forward Imanol Harinordoquy of Biarritz looks on during the Heineken Cup match between his team and Gloucester in Biarritz Picture: GALLO IMAGES

The Tricolours' coach Marc Lievremont yesterday named a heavyweight back row clearly selected to take on the Springboks at one of their strongest points.

Regular No8 Imanol Harinordoquy has been switched to blindside flanker, with Louis Picamoles in his place at the back of the scrum.

With new skipper Thierry Dusautoir on the other flank and former captain Lionel Nallet paired with Romain Millo-Chluski at lock, the French will present formidable opposition to the Boks' back row.

Picamoles, Dusautoir and Millo-Chluski are from Toulouse, who supply seven players for the starting team of a Test to be played on their home ground, the heart of French rugby, according to Stuart Barnes.

Lievremont has mostly kept faith in the players who beat the All Blacks earlier this year on their tour to New Zealand.

Surprisingly, however, he has selected 21-year-old Yann David, another Toulouse player, at centre. David, who has only one Test cap, is partnered by Maxime Mermoz, who is preferred to David Marty, who is on the bench.

"We had to choose between the understanding of the pair Marmoz-Marty and the explosiveness and strength of Yann David," Lievremont said. "We chose the strength of Yann for his robustness in the midfield that will be important against South Africa."

The halfback pair of Julien Dupuy and flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc has been retained. Stade Francais scrumhalf Dupuy, who started twice against the All Blacks last year, will also take all the kicks against the Springboks.

Lievremont retained 10 of the 15 players who started in the 27-22 win over New Zealand during their tour.

Nallet and Harinordoquy did not play against the All Blacks because of injuries.

"We have more certainty about the front row, and in the back row all the players have more or less the same level," Lievremont said.

No side has dominated the Boks physically for some time, but the Lions showed earlier this year that the scrum can be vulnerable. With France's William Servat an imposing hooker between granite prop Nicolas Mas and Fabien Barcella, another formidable front-ranker is the ageless Sylvain Marconnet on the bench. So the Boks will be under pressure in the scrum and at the lineout.

Those players who were rested will join up with the rest of the team tonight. The Bok Test team will be named later today.

Among the changes expected are at loose forward, where Pierre Spies and Juan Smith are injured. Adrian Jacobs is likely to be at inside centre for Jean de Villiers, who now plays for Munster, and Zane Kirchner should be the fullback in place of Frans Steyn, who is playing club rugby in France.©The Times, London