France forwards coach Didier Retiere has forecast an even tougher challenge for his undermanned side when it meets the Wallabies in Saturday's second Test in Brisbane.
The French coaching staff has delivered on its promise to give untried players a chance on the two-match tour of Australia, naming several new faces in the line-up for what is effectively the final match of a long season for the tourists.
"I think it will be a really tough game as (it was on) Saturday - maybe more (difficult) - but we will try to do our best," a cautious Retiere said on Thursday.
France has opted for a new-look front row with props Pierre Correia and Renaud Boyoud replacing Lionel Faure and Benoit Lecouls from the side that was defeated 34-13 in Sydney.
The affable Retiere played down suggestions from the Wallabies camp the change in personnel up front would ensure a firey encounter on Saturday night, claiming the infamous rough-house tactics of previous French sides was a thing of the past.
"The French forwards have got their own reputation on that but I think we are trying to build a new way to play," Retiere said.
He added: "Rugby is a tough sport, you have to be really hard in the contact area and we'll try to do that."
Retiere offered an honest assessment when asked if his charges are capable of dominating the French scrum.
"We will try but we are not sure because as with the Australians we are busy building a new team and we will try to do the best job we can."
Wallabies hooker Stephen Moore said the hosts are expecting more of the same at scrum-time this weekend, despite the injection of new personnel.
"They're (Correia and Boyoud) certainly both very aggressive scrummagers, it's a similar story to last week, they've both been picked as scrummagers and I'm sure that's a challenge they'll present on Saturday," Moore said.