France vs. Australia: Key Battles to Watch at Stade de France
France and Australia meet in Paris on Saturday in a fixture of high morale and good form after each side won their most recent autumn outings.
The two teams had near opposite modes of victory last weekend, Les Bleus dominating Fiji in all regards to claim a 40-15 drubbing of the tourists, while the Wallabies squeaked past Wales 33-28 in what was at times a nail-biting affair.
It makes for a promising run-in at the Stade de France, pitting two improving line-ups against one another, where the key battles detailed ahead will have a huge impact on who comes out the victors.
1. Wesley Fofana vs. Christian Lealiifano
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Wesley Fofana showed some of his balanced best against the Fijians in a try-scoring display for Philippe Saint-Andre's men last week, but a far heavier responsibility awaits him this Saturday.
Michael Cheika has made a swift change in the centre by handing Christian Lealiifano a more prominent role at inside centre, but the Brumbies playmaker showed against Wales last week that his borders can be penetrated.
Lealiifano missed three of his nine attempted tackles, perhaps an understandable offence given it was the talents of Jamie Roberts and George North largely testing his resolve.
However, Fofana's impending threat doesn't promise to show any relenting in the individual stakes just yet. Fofana, too, is capable of defensive shortcomings, but the danger he poses with ball in hand is superior to that of his opposite man.
2. Yoann Maestri vs. James Horwill
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Another member of the Wallabies regime continuing his revived significance in the setup is James Horwill, who after losing the captaincy last year, has responded only as a true professional might.
Horwill has shown glimpses of his best on the international stage this year, and without the leader moniker, his marshalling of the Wallabies pack and line-out is returning to its optimum.
His use as a line-out figure will be particularly pertinent against Yoann Maestri this week, the French lock who France like to utilise as frequent receiver at the set piece.
Areas such as these will be hugely significant. Depending on which mood the packs are in, the scrum and line-out will be essential opportunities for either team to exploit, not to mention the bulldozing effect both Horwill and Maestri will look to show in the loose.
3. Teddy Thomas vs. Adam Ashley-Cooper
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No more could have been asked of Teddy Thomas on his senior debut for Les Bleus, scoring a hat-trick of tries, the first of which came in the first minute of play.
What better way to announce one's self as a future hero of the French wing?
That was against Fiji, however, and without doing the tourists' positional awareness an injustice, Adam Ashley-Cooper will give Thomas his first genuine examination of the world-class variety.
On one end, an emerging whizz kid with all the pace and flair to thrive on the flank for a decade to come, and on the other, a Wallabies centurion who will have no doubt done his homework on the wide threat awaiting him.
Ashley-Cooper will be calm in Paris, a level-headed figure to the better end, and he'll hope to use that wisdom to his advantage in quelling a power France's playmakers will assuredly be searching to find.
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4. Bernard Le Roux vs. Michael Hooper
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In truth, Thierry Dusautoir may be the man with whom Michael Hooper will have his most intriguing battle, but Bernard le Roux lines up against the Australian captain as the most direct opponent.
Hooper's running determination was what allowed Israel Folau to ghost in under Welsh posts for one of his tries last week, but in Le Roux, the Wallabies also have another openside on their hands unafraid of taking the ball up directly.
Hooper recorded a magnificent tally of 17 tackles in Cardiff last Saturday to show just what a juggernaut he is without the ball, an unrelenting source of energy both in an individual sense and to his teammates.
If he tries to keep up with Cheika's captain, Le Roux may find himself chasing shadows in what will be a key head-to-head, which might well draw Hooper as its favourite going into the match.
5. Scott Spedding vs. Israel Folau
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If Thomas had a debut he could only have fantasised about, Scott Spedding was another who showed astounding promise in making his Test debut for Saint-Andre's side.
A deft boot and some tremendous carrying led to two try assists from Les Bleus' new fullback figure, who also finished the game with 195 carrying metres.
Again, one can say Fiji are a lesser threat, and in no other position is the jump in competition clearer this week than at No. 15, where Folau is the man set to gauge Spedding's talents at the Stade de France.
If Spedding can maintain confidence and show as accurate an eye when weaving balls in behind the Wallabies' defence, Folau may be on the back foot too often to have his usual impact with ball in hand.
However, this is arguably the best fullback in the world we're speaking of, and Spedding is sure to face his own tests in defence, Fiji having shown that his line isn't quite impregnable.
All statistics come courtesy of ESPN Scrum.
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