France braced for assault

France v Pacific Islands:FRANCE ARE bracing themselves for a tough, physical challenge from the Pacific Islanders today and say they might have to rely on a kicking game in Sochaux.

Although the team made up of players from Samoa, Fiji and Tonga have yet to win a Test since forming in 2004, France said the pacy Islanders would be a hard team to overcome.

"To think that we can play an unrestrained game would be our downfall," scrumhalf Jean-Baptiste Elissalde said. "(The Islanders) are not just about coconuts and beaches.

"If we have to kick our first 10 possessions we'll do it. They have some devastating runners and we don't want to see them sauntering over the line."

Even the most powerful French forwards said they were expecting a contest that could be tougher than the one they faced last weekend when they defeated Argentina 12-6 in Marseille in a tryless game.

Hooker Benjamin Kayser said the visitors, eight of whose starters play their club rugby in France, could not be underestimated. "People used to say the Islanders were fantastic athletes but lazy. It's not true any more. Most of them play in the best teams of the French and English championships and they are true professionals," he said.

"I play club rugby with Seru Rabeni at Leicester and he is one of our best players. I can assure you if we spill the ball it will be difficult to catch him."

The French particularly dread wings Napolioni Nalaga, best try scorer of the French championship last season with Clermont, and Vilimoni Delasau, who tops the chart this season, with Montauban.

FRANCE: 15 Maxime Medard; 14 Julien Malzieu, 13 Yannick Jauzion, 12 Benoit Baby, 11 Cedric Heymans; 10 David Skrela, 9 Jean-Baptiste Elissalde; 1 Lionel Faure, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski, 3 Nicolas Mas, 4 Romain Millo-Chluski, 5 Lionel Nallet (capt), 6 Thierry Dusautoir, 7 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy. Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Benoit Lecouls, 18 Sebastien Chabal, 19 Louis Picamoles, 20 Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 21 Damien Traille, 22 Alexis Palisson.

PACIFIC ISLANDS: 15 Gavin Williams (Samoa); 14 Napolioni Nalaga (Fiji), 13 Seru Rabeni (Fiji), 12 Epi Taione (Tonga), 11 Vilimoni Delasau (Fiji); 10 Seremaia Bai (Fiji), 9 Mosese Rauluni (Fiji, capt); 1 Kas Lealamanua (Samoa), 2 Tanielu Fuga (Samoa), 3 Kisi Pulu (Tonga), 4 Paino Hehea (Tonga), 5 Kele Leawere (Fiji), 6 Hale T Pole (Tonga), 7 Nili Latu (Tonga), 8 Sisa Koyamaibole (Fiji). Replacements: 16 Sunia Koto (Fiji), 17 Census Johnston (Samoa), 18 Filipo Levi (Samoa), 19 Viliami Vaki (Tonga), 20 Sililo Martens (Tonga), 21 Kameli Ratuvou (Fiji), 22 Seilala Mapusua (Samoa).

Referee: N Owens (Wales).