TOULOUSE BACK Maxime Medard was the only newcomer named in the France squad yesterday for the Test against Argentina next month.
The 21-year-old scored the most tries by a Frenchman in last season's Top 14 championship, crossing the line 14 times.
Outhalf Frederic Michalak, who has returned to France after a year playing in South Africa, was not recalled. Michalak won the Currie Cup with the Natal Sharks last weekend and is set to return to the Toulouse squad for Saturday's match with Brive.
Winger Vincent Clerc is still unavailable through injury.
France host Argentina on November 8th in Marseille.
Meanwhile, Josh Lewsey's bid to return to the England team suffered a setback yesterday when he was among eight players released from the squad for weekend club duty.
Lewsey, a World Cup winner in 2003, was overlooked by previous coach Brian Ashton for last year's Six Nations. He was recalled by Martin Johnson when he named his elite squad at the start of the current season. However, the 31-year-old wing/fullback has been released to play for Wasps in the EDF Energy Cup this weekend.
Olly Barkley, Tim Payne, George Chuter, Jordan Crane, Dan Hipkiss, Shane Geraghty and Peter Richards were the others released on Tuesday. All eight will return to England's training base on Sunday but are unlikely to feature in the opening Test against Pacific Islands on November 8th.
FRANCE SQUAD: Forwards: Barcella, Chabal, Dusautoir, Faure, Harinordoquy, Kayser, Lecouls, Mas, Millo-Chluski, Nallet, Ouedraogo, Picamoles, Szarzewski. Backs: Baby, Beauxis, J Elissalde, Heymans, Jauzion, Malzieu, Medard, Palisson, Parra, Trinh-Duc.
