The Wallaroos will be without star backrow Ash Marsters after the utility was ruled out with a niggle ahead of their second WXVI clash with France.
Picking up the injury during the side's warm-up ahead of their 42-7 loss to England last Friday, Wallaroos coach Jay Tregonning expects Marsters to return for their final clash next week, but in the mean time has turned to young gun Leilani Nathan to fill the hole as the team prepare to take on the unknown in France.
Only one player in the current Wallaroos squad has played Le Bleus before with experienced prop Em Robinson - who will come off the bench -- facing the side at the 2017 World Cup where Australia was hammered 48-0. But Tregonning believes a closed-door scrimmage with France in the lead up to last year's World Cup has provided the side with insights as they prepare for Saturday's clash.
"We were fortunate to stay in the same hotel as France in the World Cup last year and actually had a hit out against them leading into our first game as well, so they're not totally foreign to us," Tregonning said.
"A lot of the girls had the chance to participate in that opposed session with them last year and had a good hit out. We know they're a quality team, they just beat the world champions and they're gonna be a tough ask for us this week.
"They've got some transition threats there as well, and the speed that they play with on transition, so it's been a bit of a focus for us this week."
France used their speed and accuracy to defeat the Black Ferns last week in a reversal of last year's World Cup semifinal loss, which Tregonning has attempted to emulate during his side's test match Tuesday training session.
"It's just over 12 months ago [our scrimmage] and it was exactly the same, the speed of their play and the ability for quick recycle ball and then again their speed of defence as well. So, putting pressure on teams just through quickness of their movements and waiting for opportunities for sure.
"We we're actually getting girls to get into a bit of shape that France play and then from a defence point of view, again, they're kind of doing what we want to try to do as well, so the girls put pressure on each other during that training session and try to get the best out of each other."
While the Wallaroos have focused on France's speed through transition, they've also acknowledged the structured set-piece game will also be an important area they'll need to improve after their lineout and scrum were found wanting against England last week.
"I think we're fortunate that we get to watch them through the Six Nations campaign and that we got to watch them play over the weekend before we come up against them," Wallaroos captain Michaela Leonard said. "We know like the other Northern Hemisphere teams it's gonna be a strong contest and a good set piece game and I guess they showed what they can bring against New Zealand last week.
"So definitely really excited for the challenge this week but I think we prepared well, and we came out and made some good changes from last weekend, so we're excited to see how we compete against that as well.
"There's no specific player that we've focused on, we've identified as a group they'll play really well off transition ball, so I think our focus will be to shut down any loose opportunities, diving on ball where we can, and then I guess focusing inward on ourselves this week, coming out and shoring up our set piece that we can play the structures that we want to play."
With Marsters unavailable as well as wing Maya Stewart who was ruled out through concussion, and lock Annabelle Coady suspended for a double-yellow red card against England, Tregonning was forced to make several changes to his line-up.
The Wallaroos coach has turned to Nathan for just her second Wallaroos cap off the bench, while Sera Naiqama returns to the starting line-up and young gun Melanie Wilks will get the chance to make her Wallaroos debut from the bench with last week's debutant Desiree Miller pushing into Stewart's vacant spot.
The loss of Marsters is a bitter blow for the squad who've heavily relied on her ability over the ball as well as her ball carries to break through the defensive line, while she scored the Wallaroos only try last week. Nathan's elevation onto the bench though will give her a chance to find her place in highly competitive position within the squad.
"We saw it in Super W she actually played all across the back row and in the second row as a finisher there sometimes, but even started games in in those different positions, so she's been great, we're just trying to find her feet within this team. She's played a fair bit at seven as well, within our training sessions and has been going really well.
"She loves to be around the ball especially in the middle of the field, she hits hard and has been carrying really well so she'll get her opportunity near the back end of the game all going to plan and we're looking forward to seeing what she does with her second test."
Wallaroos: Faitala Moleka, Desiree Miller, Georgina Friedrichs, Arabelle McKenzie, Ivania Wong, Carys Dallinger, Layne Morgan, Kaitlin Leaney, Emily Chancellor, Siokapesi Palu, Michaela Leonard, Sera Naiqama, Eva Karpani, Tania naden, Brianna Hoy.
Reaplcements: Adiana Talakai, Bree-Anna Cheatham, Emily Robinson, Atasi Lafai, Leilani Nathan, Sarah Dougherty, Cecilia Smith, Melanie Wilks.