Frédéric Michalak, the enigmatic Toulouse star, has been first choice for his country in that position for a number of years now, but a knee injury has ruled him out of the forthcoming Six Nations.

It leaves a gaping hole in the side, one that Laporte and his cohorts are struggling to fill.

With fly-halves in short supply in France, Laporte has made a habit of selecting Biarritz centre Damien Traille at pivot and is likely do so again in the Six Nations.

Whether this continued experiment turns out to be foolhardy remains to be seen.

Traille has slotted in at fly-half for most of France's Tests since last year's Six Nations, owing to the poor run of injuries suffered by Michalak.

But aside from a thoroughbred display in France's 36-26 win against South Africa last June, he has struggled to impose himself in such a key position.

Indeed, in the November internationals, against New Zealand and Argentina, he looked ragged, ponderous and out of his depth at number 10.

But Laporte has hinted that he will stick by his man, and Traille is happy to continue playing in the half-backs.

"I like the position," said the Biarritz star. "It allows you to take the initiative, I want to play there more often.

"It is obviously not something you can pick up overnight - you need time."

Time is clearly something Laporte will afford Traille. Of the three players chosen at fly-half in his 40-man Six Nations squad, the Biarritz man is clearly the head coach's first choice.

With Michalak injured, Benjamin Boyet and David Skrela are the other options but both are inexperienced, at least in international terms, and have just one cap each to their name.

Traille should therefore take centre stage at fly-half in the forthcoming tournament, and he has no qualms about taking on responsibility in the position.

"At fly-half, you have to make decisions for your team-mates and there has to be non-stop communication with your team-mates," he said.

"At number 10, you bring others into the game. You have to make the right choices, just as at centre you have to make the right choices. Each position requires responsibility.

"There is a system that has been put in place for us, and each of us knows what to do."

Traille is clearly very good at centre, undoubtedly his best position.

He has power, aggression, a clever mind and the ability to spot gaps in opposition defences.

He has been a key asset to Biarritz for a number of years - but at centre, not at fly-half.

Laporte is playing a dangerous game by throwing him in at the deep end in such an important year as this.

But Traille treats it as a personal challenge and is simply glad to be helping out the team.

"Versatility is good for the side, and that is an advantage," he shrugged.

"It is often said that those who are versatile are those who don't play as much.

"But for the moment, I have the opportunity to play at 10 and we will see what happens.

"I am not saying I want to play at 10 or I want to play in the centres. I am just part of the team."

If Traille was not picked at fly-half in Michalak's absence, he could find himself dropped from the team completely.

The Florian Fritz-Yannick Jauzion axis in midfield is fairly settled, and Laporte likes the combination of the two Toulouse centres.

But Laporte has two other genuine pivots at his disposal.

Boyet, of Bourgoin, is a solid kicker and is blessed with a good technique, but his inexperience at Test and top-class European level counts against him.

Skrela beat off competition from fellow Stade Français man Lionel Beauxis to secure a place in the Six Nations squad and he is improving all the time.

He has guided the Parisians to the summit of France's domestic Top 14 championship and is at his best with the ball in hand, setting his fellow backs clear.

Laporte could have brought him into the France fold earlier, but chose not to.

Instead, he has stuck both Traille. The fact that a centre is being preferred to two out-and-out number tens at fly-half must be a worry for followers of France.

In the Six Nations, Traille has one final chance to impress.