World Cup warm-up games: Only the bravest of men would bet against France halting England's 14-Test unbeaten streak tonight. It is less a case of English vulnerability than the fact that the French dare not contemplate failure. Balmy night, front-line team, intimidating venue: if the cockerel fails to crow, some serious pre-World Cup questions will be asked.

France are the nation whose strengths most closely mirror England's. Both have been working hard on their conditioning and, unlike the All Black front five, there are no doubts about the French pack's qualities.

"We think they're probably the best scrummaging team in the world," admits Andy Robinson, the English forwards coach. "It's going to be awesome to see the first hits in the scrum."

Then there is Fabien Galthie, the visionary scrum-half. If Frederic Michalak can settle at fly-half there is both power and pace outside him, with Laporte having opted for bigger men in preference to the subtler Thomas Castaignede.

The influential Tony Marsh's return from his cancer battle is on hold because of a sore calf which will also prevent him playing at Twickenham. But there is nothing to restrain Toulouse's Yannick Jauzion.

"That's the strongest team France could put out, which for us is excellent," claims Woodward. "But if this was a World Cup final, this wouldn't be the starting England team. Now's the time to be experimenting."

Meanwhile, Scotland coach Ian McGeechan made wholesale changes yesterday to his side for today's clash with Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff drafting in 11 new faces. Out of the 15 went KennyLogan, Tom Smith, Ben Hinshelwood, James McLaren, Andrew Henderson, Gordon Ross, Mike Blair, Robert Russell, Jason White, Nathan Hines and Simon Taylor.

Into the side came Gavin Kerr, Graeme Beveridge, Glenn Metcalfe, Rory Kerr, Andy Craig, Brendan Laney, Gregor Townsend, Gordon Bulloch, Stuart Grimes, Andrew Mower and Martin Leslie.