When he dons the number 12 jersey on Sunday the versatile Traille will have played in three different positions in his last three Tests having started against Australia in November at fly-half.

And the combination of Biarritz’s Traille and Clermont’s Aurelie Rougerie in midfield also becomes the 19th centre pairing since Lievremont took the reins back in 2007.

This reshuffle means Clement Poitrenaud comes off the bench to start at full-back with the recalled Yannick Jauzion, who is still struggling with a shoulder problem, taking up the vacant spot among the replacements.

In the only other change from the team that downed Scotland veteran prop Sylvain Marconnet replaces Luc Ducalcon on the bench.

Lievremont said: “As announced, there is stability even if the good performances of the replacements against Scotland could have made us think again.

“I think Damien is in a good moment, better physically and mentally than in November. I already said he is a master player capable of playing in all positions.

"Yannick could have played but Clement made a good appearance as a substitute.

"We end up with the same back line that finished the match against Scotland."

15 - Clément Poitrenaud (Toulouse)
14 - Yoann Huget (Bayonne)
13 - Aurélien Rougerie (Clermont)
12 - Damien Traille (Biarritz)
11 - Maxime Médard (Toulouse)
10 - François Trinh-Duc (Montpellier)
9 - Morgan Parra (Clermont)
1 - Thomas Domingo (Clermont)
2 - William Servat (Toulouse)
3 - Nicolas Mas (Perpignan)
4 - Julien Pierre (Clermont)
5 - Lionel Nallet (Racing Metro)
6 - Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse)
7 - Julien Bonnaire (Clermont)
8 - Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz)

Replacements
16 - Guilhem Guirado (Perpignan)
17 - Sylvain Marconnet (Biarritz)
18 - Jerome Thion (Biarritz)
19 - Sébastien Chabal (Racing Metro)
20 - Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz)
21 - Yannick Jauzion (Toulouse)
22 - Vincent Clerc (Toulouse)