Rusty France face 'tired' Australia at end of torrid year

Out-of-sorts France welcome an out-of-form Australia to Paris in the Autumn Nations Series on Saturday with both sides seeking a morale-boosting victory to round off their year.

The Wallabies are one loss away from a first winless European tour since 1958 and a record 10th defeat in a calendar year – just two years out from hosting the sport's quadrennial showpiece, the Rugby World Cup.

France edged over the line to win the Six Nations title earlier this year without talismanic scrum-half Antoine Dupont, who was injured in the penultimate match against Ireland.

However, the Autumn tests have shown how much they miss the 29-year-old as the confidence he instils in his teammates has been lacking.

Despite playing against 14 men for more than half the match, Fabien Galthie's team were out-classed by South Africa in their opening Autumn test before struggling past Fiji last Saturday.

Their sluggish performances have been in stark contrast to the swashbuckling attack and tough-as-teak defence in their Six Nations title-winning campaign.

"We've had four weeks of work together and played the two games," said Galthie.

"There's no reason why things don't click for this third game.

"The explanations are that we lacked consistency and then we lacked time together before the first game," the 56-year-old added.

The problem for Galthie's Australia counterpart Joe Schmidt, who will step down after next July's Nations Championship tests, is the opposite.

Australia's squad has been together pretty much non-stop since their opening test of the season in June.

'FLOG A DEAD HORSE' 

"You cannot flog a dead horse and I have never ever been in a test window for so long," 60-year-old Schmidt said.

"I think the longest period that they've had a break for was eight days since we started.

"I think as much as anything it's mental, emotional fatigue as much as it is physical, so that in itself has been challenging," the former Ireland coach added.

Galthie has made three changes but kept Romain Ntamack in the playmaking fly-half position despite the Toulouse star being blamed for the lack of bite in the French attack.

Galthie defended the 26-year-old, whose performances reflect how much his Toulouse teammate Dupont is missed.

"There's no conversation about his performance," Galthie said.

"The problem with a player at the centre of the game, is if he doesn't get the ball it's hard for him to be a playmaker.

"We hear the criticism. It's expected. We accept it," he added.

Opposite Ntamack under the floodlights of the Stade de France will be 25-year-old Tane Edmed, who has been drafted in after Carter Gordon was ruled out on the eve of the game with a thigh problem.

Edmed, who will win his ninth cap since making his debut a year ago, is one of five changes made by Schmidt after the record 46-19 demolition at the hands of Ireland last weekend.

The experienced James O'Connor – who broke off a holiday in Morocco to play against Ireland – has returned to his English Prem club Leicester.

"It would have been great to keep James with us," Schmidt said.

"But with Carter and Tane and Hamish (Stewart) there to cover, it was an extra player that would have been a luxury," he added.

Adding extra spice to the match, if Australia win by 16 points or more they will overtake France in the world rankings.

They would move into the top six and earn a favourable seeding for the Rugby World Cup draw on December 3.

"Sixteen points is very difficult, when it's difficult to win to begin," Schmidt said.

"We're looking at the performance.

"If we chase the big results like that, I think it's too difficult and I think we'll lose the focus that we need," he added.