Wilko expects fierce French semi test

Jonny Wilkinson is not expecting France to crack in the heat of a World Cup semi-final when they go head-to-head with England's rugby stars in Paris on Saturday.

Four years ago Wilkinson scored all the reigning world champions' points as they beat Les Bleus 24-7 to book their place in the 2003 final in Sydney.

While Bernard Laporte's men suffered a shock 17-12 in the opening game of the tournament, they more than showed their mettle with an unlikely 20-18 quarter-final victory over New Zealand in Cardiff last weekend.

And Wilkinson, who kicked Brian Ashton's men to a surprise 12-10 win over Australia last Saturday, said: "You'd be a fool to presume anything about this French side. There is an incredible expectation within France about playing the World Cup in their back yard.

"They have shown they can cope with any pressure. That pressure must have been enormous in Cardiff at half-time. They survived a huge barrage against the number one team on the planet at the moment and came back to win. And they didn't crack in the two warm-up games against us.

"We know how strong and balanced they are. They have enormous strength out wide and up front. This French team are in as good a shape as any French team in my time."

Talismanic fly-half Wilkinson believes France have unearthed a future superstar of the game in his opposite number Lionel Beauxis, who at the age of 21 has been entrusted with the number ten shirt ahead of David Skrela and Freddie Michelak.

England's 2003 World Cup final hero added: "Beauxis is a hell of a player. They have a wealth of talent in that area; to take the weight of pressure and continue to play with direction and composure is a real talent. It's something I didn't have at that age.

"Skrela and Michelak are world class so France must have huge confidence in him. To do that against the All Blacks is one of the performances that deserves most respect in recent times."

Meanwhile, England World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson has hailed Andy Gomarsall's impact on the World Cup in France.

And Johnson believes he will be pivotal to Aston's men's hopes of becoming the first team to retain the Webb Ellis trophy.

A year ago, Gomarsall was playing pub sevens and wondering whether he had any future in the game after being released in controversial circumstances by Worcester.

But Harlequins offered the 33-year-old an escape route and has moved ahead of both Shaun Perry and Peter Richards to become England's number one number nine.

Johnson said: "We did not have a clue before the tournament started how important Andy Gomarsall would be to England. Andy has been instrumental and England have played better with him in the team.

"It's been an amazing story for him. I played with him ten years ago and then he was down and out in rugby terms. Now he's in a World Cup semi-final.

"It will be fascinating for me seeing how Gomarsall matches up against Jean Baptiste Elisalde."

The winners will face either South Africa or Argentina for a place in the October 20 final in Paris.

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