0
Wallabies facing French resistance
AAP - June 27, 2008, 7:29 pm
The fear of the unknown - more so than the spectre of mass sackings if they don't perform - has the Wallabies primed to silence their critics in Saturday night's Test showdown with France at ANZ Stadium.
New coach Robbie Deans has demanded the Wallabies lift their game or face the consequences after an unconvincing 18-12 escape against Ireland in the first winter Test two weeks ago in Melbourne.
But it is the ever-unpredictable French, not Deans, who have the Wallabies on guard.
The visitors will field an unheralded line-up featuring just one player from last year's Rugby World Cup semi-final loss to England - plus monster lock Sebastien Chabal - and Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock admitted such uncertainty made the French awkward opponents.
"It's been quite difficult to prepare for this match - a number of these players playing tomorrow night haven't performed in the Six Nations, so there's a bit of an unknown quantity to them," Mortlock said.
"That suits their mentality. They're coming down here over the next two weeks to really play some positive football and take us out of our comfort zone and stick it to us.
Wallabies facing French resistance - Yahoo!7 Sport