Paris (AFP) - World Player of the Year Antoine Dupont has been named in France's Six Nations squad by head coach Fabien Galthie despite not having played since December 11.
The France skipper missed holders Toulouse's European Champions Cup defeat by Wasps last weekend with an unspecified injury.
The 25-year-old scrum-half had missed Toulouse's previous Top 14 match due to 'fatigue'.
However, while he is included, Top 14 leaders Bordeaux-Begles' fly-half Matthieu Jalibert is omitted due to a thigh injury which will sideline him for a fortnight.
If fit, Dupont will team up with Toulouse fly-half Romain Ntamack in the same partnership that sparkled in the 40-25 victory over New Zealand last November.
France, who finished runners-up last year, are seeking their first Six Nations title since 2010 and get their campaign underway at home to Italy.
Galthie has included seven uncapped players in the 42-man squad, who as preparation for the Italy game will be staying at a Foreign Legion barracks in the south-east of France and training nearby.
The 20-year-old Clermont prop Daniel Bibi Biziwu is the big surprise amongst the new faces.
His fellow Test rookies are Racing 92 backrow forward Yoan Tanga, La Rochelle's utility back Jules Favre, Clermont centre Tani Vili, Lyon fly-half Leo Berdeu and second row duo Florian Verhaeghe and Florent Vanverberghe from Montpellier and Castres respectively.
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