Okay, so kickoff is at 7.10am (AEDT), which is remarkably 9.10pm in Paris time. They don’t mind a late finish.
It’s been freezing in Paris all week, and the weather app tells me the temperature is currently just 1 degree celsius. Mr Drennan says it’s minus 3 in the stands! The forecast is clear, however.
Teams-wise, the Wallabies were forced into several changes on Friday, with Carter Gordon and Billy Pollard both ruled out with niggles. Tane Edmed and Matt Faessler moved up from the bench, and Josh Nasser and Hamish Stewart were added to the bench.
Where is James O’Connor, you ask? Good question. For reasons that still aren’t quite clear, JOC was released from the squad after starting at no.10 last weekend against Ireland, even with Gordon carrying a quad injury.
The handling of O’Connor by Joe Schmidt this year has been one of the stranger things of the season.
In any case, here are the teams:
Australia (15-1): Max Jorgensen; Harry Potter, Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Tane Edmed, Jake Gordon; Harry Wilson (capt), Fraser McReight, Tom Hooper; Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams; Taniela Tupou, Matt Faessler, Angus Bell
Replacements: Josh Nasser Aidan Ross, Allan Alaalatoa, Rob Valetini, Carlo Tizzano, Kalani Thomas, Hamish Stewart, Filipo Daugunu
France (15-1): Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Nicolas Depoortere, Gael Fickou, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Romain Ntamack, Maxime Lucu; Gregory Alldritt (capt), Charles Ollivon, Anthony Jelonch; Emmanuel Meafou, Thibaud Flament; Regis Montagne, Julien Marchand, Jean-Baptiste Gros
Replacements: Maxime Lamothe, Rodrigue Neti, Thomas Laclayat, Romain Taofifenua, Hugo Auradou, Oscar Jegou, Baptiste Jauneau, Kalvin Gourgues
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (IRFU) & Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
