Wilkinson calls for renewed focus

For the third time in three Rugby World Cups, England and France renew their fabled rivalry, this time at the quarter-final stages at Eden Park on Saturday.

England won the 2003 and 2007 semi-final meetings and once again France's tormentor-in-chief, Jonny Wilkinson, is in line to cause more heartbreak from fly half.

In 2003 he kicked all the points in a 24-7 win and four years later slotted two penalties and a drop goal to send England into the final.

England go into the match on the back of four wins from four in their pool. France, by contrast, have lost their two most recent matches, to Tonga and New Zealand.

Marc Lièvremont's team now face the possibility of losing three consecutive matches for the first time since 2008, but Wilkinson, who plays for French side Toulon, is not taking the result for granted.

"You know that at one moment all they need is one spark and they have opened up the match and all of a sudden you have lost everything you have done," Wilkinson said.

Countering Wilkinson

"All the world knows how strong the French are, how good they are and how dangerous they can be. We know full well if we don't start the match 100 per cent concentrated, we will lose because they can defeat any team in the world on their day."

To counter Wilkinson, France have selected an experienced back row trio of captain Thierry Dusautoir, Imanol Harinordoquy and Julien Bonnaire.

All three were involved in the defeat in 2007 as well as the 17-9 loss at Twickenham in this year's Six Nations.

"He, as well as the others, is not as good under pressure," Bonnaire said.

"It's down to us to show more aggressiveness so that he doesn't put his team forward. Having said that, generally speaking, the English are always good against us."

Wilkinson will line up alongside Toby Flood, who has been chosen to replace the injured Mike Tindall at inside centre.

It was this combination that finished the 16-12 victory over Scotland, Flood's pass setting up Chris Ashton for the winning try.

True colours

"Having Toby there is very reassuring," Wilkinson said. "It is reassuring knowing that if I am at the bottom of a ruck, then there is someone there making decisions and thinking like a 10.

"The fact is you have two guys on the same wavelength, that focus on the same things with a similar way of sorting out problems. We have both played at 10 and 12 and we will have to adapt to situations as they happen on the pitch."

For France, the need to show their true colours after the loss to Tonga is paramount.

The result was the biggest shock of the tournament, the team ranked 13th in the world defeating the fifth-ranked.

"We have a great deal of revenge to get," wing Vincent Clerc said.

"First, with regards to last week, considering the work we've put in for three-and-a-half months, what we showed last week doesn't reflect what we are worth.

"But in our squad, too, the morale is good. We went through tough times, but we're still here."