France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has declared goalkicking halfback Morgan Parra fit to play against the Wallabies in their rugby union Test in Paris on Saturday.

World Cup star Parra had been battling a thigh strain but Saint-Andre was confident he would be ready as he named his 23-man squad on Sunday.

“For Parra there is good news – he’s running again (and) able to accelerate… he’s 100 percent,” said Saint-Andre, who also retained 23-year-old halfback Maxime Machenaud, who impressed on his Test debut against Argentina in June, scoring a try.

The French will be looking for their first win over the Wallabies since a 26-16 win in Marseille in November 2005 and hence will be looking to rely heavily on experience.

With inspirational captain Thierry Dusatoir out injured, two back-rowers will notably return – Yannick Nyanga, 28, of Toulouse, who won the last of his 25 caps back in 2007, and Clermont’s Damien Chouly, 26, who won two caps between 2007 and 2009.

French squad to face Australia:

Backs (10): Maxime Machenaud (Racing-Metro), Morgan Parra (Clermont), Frederic Michalak (Toulon), Francois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Brice Dulin (Castres), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Florian Fritz (Toulouse), Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon)

Forwards (13): Thomas Domingo (Clermont), Yannick Forestier (Castres), Benjamin Kayser (Clermont), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing-Metro), Vincent Debaty (Clermont), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse, Pascal Pape (capt, Stade Francais), Jocelino Suta (Toulon), Damien Chouly (Clermont), Yannick Nyanga (Toulouse), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse)