Parra returns for France despite red card

Scrum-half Morgan Parra, flanker Antonie Claassen and uncapped centre Remi Lamerat have all been called into the 30-strong French squad to prepare for the Six Nations match against Scotland in Edinburgh on March 8.

The changes come in the wake of France’s humiliating 27-6 loss to Wales in Cardiff last Friday which wrecked hopes of a first French Grand Slam since 2010.

It had been widely expected that Parra, who was first choice scrum-half for France at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, would be brought back into the squad after a successful return from injury.

But he was red-carded for head-butting an opponent while playing for his club Clermont in the French Top-14 league on Saturday.

He is due to go before a disciplinary committee and an eventual suspension could rule him out of the Scotland game.

Winger Marc Andreu drops out of the squad to make way for Parra.

Uncapped centre Lamerat, who plays for French champions Castres, owes his call-up to the unavailability of Wesley Fofana, who sustained a cracked rib in the game against the Welsh.

Coach Philippe Saint-Andre also gave call-ups to prop Rabah Slimani, who was red-carded in the win over Italy and flanker Bernard Le Roux.

France end their 2014 Six Nations campaign against Ireland in Paris on March 15.

France

Forwards:

Vincent Debaty (Clermont), Thomas Domingo (Clermont), Yannick Forestier (Castres), Brice Mach (Castres), Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing-Metro), Nicolas Mas (Montpellier), Rabah Slimani (Stade Francais), Alexandre Flanquart (Stade Francais), Yoann Maestri (Toulouse), Pascal Pape (Stade Francais, capt.), Sebastien Vahaamahina (Perpignan), Virgile Bruni (Toulon), Alexandre Lapandry (Clermont), Wenceslas Lauret (Racing-Metro), Bernard Le Roux (Racing-Metro), Damien Chouly (Clermont), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse)

Backs:

Jean-Marc Doussain (Toulouse), Maxime Machenaud (Racing-Metro), Morgan Parra (Clermont), Jules Plisson (Stade Francais), Remi Tales (Castres), Mathieu Bastareaud (Toulon), Gael Fickou (Toulouse), Remi Lamerat (Castres), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon), Yoann Huget (Toulouse), Maxime Medard (Toulouse), Hugo Bonneval (Stade Francais), Brice Dulin (Castres)