Countdown to semi-finals It's one of the match-ups of the tournament. Frederic Michalak and Jonny Wilkinson somehow seem to embody all that is different about French and English rugby teams, the very essence of Gallic sporting flair and English correctness.

Michalak is the innately gifted one, blessed with quicker feet and more instinctive, who represents the more inspired and inspiring French, perhaps even more stimulated by the emotion of the occasion than Wilkinson, who is at his best when his mind is operating coldly, clinically and calculatingly.

Of course, such stereotyping was perhaps more applicable in the past than in the modern professional era. Indeed Michalak, whom Ronan O'Gara has likened to a French soccer player in appearance, has been converted to the principles of team play, and most of what he's done in this tournament has been rehearsed diligently on the training field.

At Tuesday's morning press briefing with seven of the French team at their base in Bondi Beach, everyone wanted a piece of Michalak. There must have been 50 journalists around him with tape recorders at one moment.

And yet this son of a builder, who is regarded as something of a working-class hero in the French game, has sailed serenely through his new-found fame in this tournament. Even French journalists are amazed at how composed and mentally strong this 21-year-old appears to be.

Wilkinson also faced a barrage of questioning yesterday and is, if anything, more racked by self-doubt at the moment, more prone to lapses in execution during games. How they go in Sunday's utterly fascinating semi-final also, no doubt, will be pivotal to the outcome.

We always knew Michalak could run, but the way he has kicked - both out of hand and off the ground - has amazed most observers. He has been a revelation.

Meanwhile, the obsessively perfectionist Wilkinson seems to be tieing himself up in a pressurised knot, largely of his own making, and England had to be bailed out against Wales by the introduction of Mike Catt in the second half against Wales as a true second five-eighth. Yet, through it all, Wilkinson's penalty kicking and execution of drop goals has largely remained unaffected, the product of his routine, practised down to a fine art over more hours than any other rugby player on the planet.

Yet Bernard Laporte, the studious-looking French coach, is among the first to preach caution and instil a dose of reality into the match-up. Lest we forget, Wilkinson has long since become England's most prolific points-scorer in history and is something of a 24-year-old veteran.

Michalak, though seemingly the solution to what has curiously and historically been France's most problematic position, only came into this tournament with a dozen caps, some as a scrumhalf. He has not really been put under pressure yet.

"If it's a boxing game I think Frederic wins because he's a very hard man," smiles Laporte. "But it's not a boxing match, it's a head match and Jonny Wilkinson has a lot of experience, and Frederic is a new player, he is coming, he has a lot of talent but he does not have the experience of Jonny. I think it's a very good duel but the duel between two 10s is not physical, it's with the head and I hope Frederic puts his level like Jonny Wilkinson. And I'll be very happy if Frederic is able to do this."

Pressed further on the talents of Michalak, Laporte said: "He's a very good player, a very good talent, with a good kick, a good pass, a good tackle and good spirit, but he's a new player. He is 21 years old and he is coming. He is young, he's a baby," concludes the French coach with a laugh.

Michalak is, as expected, in an unchanged team to face England. There are four changes on the bench, two of them enforced. David Auradou replaces the injured Olivier Brouzet, who has returned home, and Clement Poitrenaud is promoted to the bench in place of Pepito Elhorga, who has briefly returned home for his father's funeral.

In addition, Laporte has picked Christian Labit in the 22 instead of Patrick Tabacco, while Damien Traille covers midfield instead of Brian Liebenberg.

These changes have the additional purpose of keeping the rest of the squad on their toes, with places in the match-day 22 potentially up for grabs next week again were France to reach the final. Clever psychology. Their squad spirit is excellent.

First though, there's the minor matter of playing England.

"It's a big challenge," admits Laporte. "For us it's an exciting challenge because we play against, for me, the best team in the world and the team who is able to say and to declare we are the best and we will win this World Cup. I think it's beautiful.

"I like this, because in sport it's fantastic that they have a lot of confidence. And for us it's very exciting to play against England. I have a lot of respect for them because they play well and they are very professional."

Laporte also moved to play down the customary war of words between the two traditional superpowers of Northern Hemisphere rugby. "Somebody said I don't like the English but that's not good, it's not true, because I like the English and I have a lot of respect for Clive Woodward and Martin Johnson."

"Martin Johnson is a huge player like Keith Wood for Ireland. For rugby they have to be on the field and not at home. Rugby exists because we have personalities like him or Keith Wood or Fabien Galthie. I am always happy when they are on the field and I have a lot of respect for him and for Clive and for this team. But next Sunday respect is at home and we will have the will to win," he added, smiling.

All and sundry, especially in the England camp, are labelling France as the form team, but Laporte is keen to deflect favouritism from his players.

"Sometimes we play well, sometimes we play not well, but generally we are happy about the performance of the French team. But I think we are not favourites for this match. For me no. Semi-finals are also 50-50 and even though for me the English team are better, it's 50-50 and it's a very exciting match."

Evaluating England's own much-criticised, and self-criticised, performances to date, the French coach said: "For me they play sometime good, sometime not good, but they win. They have their direction and they don't change direction. They are confident with their players, they are able to change tactics in the first half of the match and in the second half. But they have had good opponents too. Samoa is not bad, Wales did not play badly, and sometimes this can happen in sport."

FRANCE: N Brusque; A Rougerie, T Marsh, Y Jauzion, C Dominici; F Michalak, F Galthie (capt); JJ Crenca, R Ibanez, S Marconnet, F Pelous, J Thion, S Betsen, O Magne, I Harinordoquy. Replacements: Y Bru, O Milloud, D Auradou, C Labit, G Merceron, D Traille, C Poitrenau.