Rugby World Cup: Don't underestimate France - Marsh

Tony Marsh played 21 tests for France. Photo / Getty Images

Tony Marsh, the former Counties midfielder who went on to play 21 tests for France, has a grim warning for the All Blacks: "We are underestimating this French team, it's actually a very good one."

Marsh said French coach Marc Lievremont should make good use of a talent-stacked bench. "There's lots of depth on the bench and they'll all come on in the second half and up the tempo. Don't think this result will just appear, you never know what the French can do."

Marsh, who is commentating for Maori Television during the World Cup including tomorrow's match, was surprised by the selection of Morgan Parra at first five-eighths. But he added that the French had a different idea of the playmakers' role, adding that it was typical of the French to surprise.

"The move at No 10 is a shock for some maybe in a game against the All Blacks at a World Cup, but it's not uncommon for France to do this. Frederic Michalak and Jean-Baptiste Ellisalde all moved around from 10 so they don't think of it the same way as we perhaps do here."

Don't expect the Tricolores to lose anything with Parra at No 10.

"[Francois] Trinh-Duc is very much an individual player. Bringing Parra in could work more from a team perspective."

And don't believe the talk of a weakened lineup, said Marsh, who played for a Classic All Black side which beat France in Queenstown at the weekend.

"This is not a French B team as such. I have heard French players in the French media saying they're insulted by the way they've been labelled a B team by the media here. This is just giving them motivation and setting them up for a big one.

"We of all people should know not to take the French lightly - have we learned nothing from 2007?"