Six Nations 2016, France vs Italy: France eager to discover if 'unknown' Virimi Vakatawa can be a great

France launch the Guy Novès coaching era, but Les Bleus' star attraction could be Test match newcomer Virimi Vakatawa.

The Fiji-born sevens specialist is among four new caps selected by Novès for France’s Six Nations opener against Italy in Paris. The centre Jonathan Danty, scrum-half Sébastien Bézy and lock Paul Jedrasiak also make their internationaldebuts, but it is the 23-year-old Vakatawa’s selection that has commanded most attention.

And former Toulouse coach Novès, who took over from Philippe Saint-André after last autumn’s World Cup, is relishing seeing the prolific try-scorer in action. “This is not a matter of chance, but a matter of choice,” Novès said yestesrday, of Vakatawa’s selection. “We can’t know how things will go down on Saturday, but given the circumstances, Virimi’s potential, the fact that he is a big prospect for the future, we want to see him in real game conditions rather than believing in him, hoping he could be great but never give him an opportunity. We know he has his shortcomings – he has yet to fully get a grip on his role – but the sooner we play him, the better.”

France won the most recent of their five Six Nations titles in 2010, while the misfiring Saint-André reign ended with a crushing World Cup quarter-final loss to eventual winners New Zealand, so expectation is not high for Les Bleus. However, they kick off the tournament with successive home games against Italy and an injury-hit Ireland, which could work in Novès’s favour.

“This is the start of something new,” he added. “I don’t want to wait three years to make some experiments. I don’t have any experience at international level, but I do have some in the Top 14, and I know that when a young player has the potential to play, you need to have him play.”

While Novès embarks on his international coaching career, with new captain Guilhem Guirado at the helm, the 62-year-old Italy coach Jacques Brunel is set to step down after this season’s Six Nations, with current Harlequins rugby director, Conor O’Shea, a firm favourite to succeed him.

And Brunel has mirrored Novès by naming four debutants in his starting line-up – full-back David Odiete, wing Mattia Bellini, plus front-row forwards Andrea Lovotti and Ornel Gega. Brunel said: “During the winter there were several young players who were able to shine, earning the call-up and selection against France. Some of our choices were dictated by injuries, of which we have a few. The number of appearances players have made at club level was also a factor, as some players seen at the World Cup went back to their foreign clubs and have not played enough. In the game we have to focus on ourselves, go on the pitch with our usual ambition and a desire to impose our rugby on our opponents.”