French legend Freddie Michalak has backed the French to defeat the Wallabies when they arrive in Australia ahead of the three-Test series.
With the dates and venues confirmed, the two teams are set to play the series inside 11 days to coincide with strict quarantine measures.
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The French are still required to quarantine for 14 days before they can play, set to be released just days before the start of the series.
This will be played at the SCG, the first Rugby international at the hallowed venue in 35 years.
Despite the tough conditions, Michalak backed the young squad to step up and continue their rapid development, admitting that they'll be boosted by the prospect of playing in front of a crowd.
“I think the French squad are very good at the moment. It’s a young squad but as we can see, the last few years they have done very well in the Six Nations and start to beat great teams in England and Ireland,” he told media on Monday.
“Over the past ten years, we’ve started to work and build off that. You are going to be surprised with the way we play, how we move the ball and how players make the difference and move very fast.
“It’s the same image with the French Championship (Top 14), we’ve got two teams in the European Final.
“The French team will be very happy to be here in Australia and play with a crowd because there’s no actual crowd in France so it’s going to be very exciting.”
The 38-year-old has been residing in Sydney, working as a coach for the Sydney Roosters in 2021.
As he floates between codes, Michalak has been actively watching Super Rugby AU and Trans-Tasman, suggesting that the Wallabies need to tie up their stars, particularly former Toulon teammate James O'Connor.
“I’ve watched every game,” he added. “The Reds and Brumbies have been doing very well, they got some good sides with a couple of youngsters coming.
“I think Rugby in Australia needs to think how they are going to progress in a few years and how we can keep these players here and play for the Wallabies. We thought about this ten years ago and now have the fruit of what we plant."
“I’m happy to see James O’Connor playing this type of Rugby. I played with him in Toulon and I’m happy to see him playing well for the Reds.
“That type of position, you need someone who is experienced and wants to get better and I can see he’s gotten a lot better kicking and how he is the field around the players.”
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France has witnessed a 'Golden Age' of talent come through their pathways, with the likes of Antoine Dupont and Matthieu Jalibert establishing themselves as world-class players.
Michalak believes that following a similar blooding program to the Wallabies has allowed them to gain the necessary experience and confidence to thrive at international level.
“(Antoine) Dupont is one of the best in the world at the moment," he believes.
“The French championship have given them a chance to play and give confidence to those younger players.
‘As you can see, they have progressed year-to-year in the clubs and every time they play with the French squad, they bring some exciting stuff.
“I think now we understand that we need to give experience to these players to help them to be better even if they are losing games or making mistakes, I think when you have the confidence they have now, you can beat any time.”
