But Frances indifferent form in the autumn internationals, allied to their traditional unpredictability, will ensure that Saturdays clash in Paris is no foregone conclusion.

Les Bleus began the autumn series in impressive style with a 27-14 victory over Australia but then defied all logic by slumping to home defeats by Argentina (24-14) and New Zealand (45-6).

France will also go into their opening game without a host of established stars, most notably the entire back row of Imanol Harinordoquy, Olivier Magne and Serge Betsen.

Coach Bernard Laporte has also rung the changes following the record mauling by the All Blacks, with only the front five surviving, and he has adopted a safety-first policy with the selection of 31-year-old fly-half Yann Delaigue, who won the first of his 13 caps when France won at Murrayfield back in 1994.

Scotland, too, are below strength as they attempt to give Australian Matt Williams his first victory as coach.

Already reeling from British Lion Simon Taylors failure to win his fitness race, the Scots have lost prop Allan Jacobsen and forward Ross Beattie through injury.

The Scots will draw encouragement from Edinburghs recent shock win over Perpignan in the Heineken Cup, but that match was at a near-deserted Murrayfield.

This time the Scots will have the white-hot atmosphere of a packed Stade de France to contend with and it may not be a pretty sight.

France:

Pépito Elhorga (Agen), Aurélien Rougerie (Clermont Auvergne), Damien Traille (Biarritz), Brian Liebenberg (Stade Français), Christophe Dominici (Stade Français), Yann Delaigue (Castres), Pierre Mignoni (Clermont Auvergne), Sébastien Chabal (Sale), Patrick Tabacco (Pau), Julien Bonnaire (Bourgoin), Jérôme Thion (Biarritz), Fabien Pelous (Stade Toulousain, captain), Pieter De Villiers (Stade Français), William Servat (Stade Toulousain), Sylvain Marconnet (Stade Français).

Replacements: Sebastien Bruno (Sale), Olivier Milloud (Bourgoin), Grégory Lamboley (Stade Toulousain), Yannick Nyanga (Béziers), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz), Frédéric Michalak (Stade Toulousain), Ludovic Valbon (Brive).

Scotland:

C Paterson (Edinburgh); S Danielli (Borders), A Craig (Glasgow), H Southwell (Edinburgh), S Lamont (Glasgow); D Parks (Glasgow), C Cusiter (Borders); T Smith (Northampton), G Bulloch (Glasgow, captain), G Kerr (Leeds), S Grimes (Newcastle), S Murray (Edinburgh), J White (Sale), A Hogg (Edinburgh), J Petrie (Glasgow).

Replacements: R Russell (London Irish), B Douglas (Borders), N Hines (Edinburgh), J Dunbar (Leeds), M Blair (Edinburgh), G Ross (Leeds), B Hinshelwood (Worcester)