The Toulouse number 10 had asked national team coach Bernard Laporte and team manager Jo Maso to be omitted from this summers international schedule so he could rest.

However, a shortage of fly-halves means that Laporte has named Michalak in his 26-man squad for the matches against Romania and South Africa.

Michalak has the chance, or not, to be the only valuable fly-half that we have, said Maso at a press conference in Marcoussis on Thursday.

The 23-year-old Michalak is likely to sit out the match against Romania in Bucharest on June 17 but is due to play against the Springboks the following week.

The squad also includes uncapped pair David Attoub and Thierry Dusautoir plus the return of Serge Betsen, Imanol Harinordoquy, Yannick Jauzion, Vincent Clerc and Clement Poitrenaud, who were all absent from France's triumphant RBS 6 Nations campaign earlier this year.

France squad:

Forwards: S Betsen, T Dusautoir, I Harinordoquy, J Thion (all Biarritz), P de Villiers, S Marconnet, R Martin, D Szarzewski (all Stade Francais), D Attoub, B Nallet (both Castres), F Pelous (Toulouse, captain), J Bonnaire (Bourgoin), N Mas (Perpignan), R Ibanez (Wasps).

Backs: V Clerc, F Fritz, C Heymans, Y Jauzion, F Michalak, C Poitrenaud (all Toulouse), D Yachvili, D Traille (both Biarritz), T Castaignede (Saracens), C Dominici (Stade Francais), J Laharrague (Perpignan), P Mignoni (Clermont).