Les Bleus are blessed with a conveyor belt of quality and depth in almost every position, except - it seems - at number 10.

Enigmatic Toulouse star Frederic Michalak has been first choice for his country in that position for a number of years now, but his knee injury rules him out of the RBS 6 Nations Championship, at least, and maybe a few more months.

With talented fly-halves in short supply in France, he has in recent months been forced to turn to Biarritz centre Damien Traille - and he will do so again in the Six Nations.

Traille has slotted in at fly-half for most of France's Tests since last year's Six Nations, owing to the poor run of injuries suffered by Michalak.

But aside from a thoroughbred display in Les Bleus' 36-26 win against South Africa last summer, he has struggled to impose himself in such a key position.

Laporte will stick by his man though, and Traille is happy to continue playing in the half-backs.

'I like the position,' he said. 'It allows you to take the initiative. I want to play there more often.

'It is obviously not something you can pick up overnight - you need time.'

Time is clearly something Laporte will afford Traille. Of the three players chosen at fly-half in his 40-man Six Nations squad, the Biarritz man is clearly the head coach's first choice.

With Michalak injured, Benjamin Boyet and David Skrela are the other options but both are inexperienced, at least in international terms, and have just one cap each to their name.

Traille should therefore take centre stage at fly-half in the forthcoming tournament, and he has no qualms about taking on responsibility in the position.

'At fly-half, you have to make decisions for your team-mates and there has to be non-stop communication with your team-mates,' he added.

'At number 10, you bring others into the game. You have to make the right choices, just as at centre you have to make the right choices. Each position requires responsibility. '