Buoyed by their win over Japan, USA faces a new-look France on Friday, 31 October at WIN Stadium in Wollongong.
Some of France’s fringe players get a chance to shine in this match with coach Bernard Laporte opting to rest many of his stars, including captain Fabien Galthie.
Form guide
France were the most impressive of all sides in their opening 61-18 win over Fiji, continuing their unbeaten record in Rugby World Cup Pool matches.
Les Bleus were forced to work hard before beating Japan 51-29 in game two. The French were at their most convincing to date in the record 51-9 win over Scotland in game three in Sydney on 25 October.
The USA were unlucky to lose 19-18 to Fiji in their opening match, Eagles fly half Mike Hercus missing a last minute conversion that would have sealed victory for his side.
The Eagles were then beaten 39-15 by Scotland at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane before breaking the longest RWC losing sequence in the 39-26 win over Japan, the Cherry Blossoms now co-holders of that dubious record at 10 games without a loss.
Previous meetings
The USA won the first meeting between the two countries when they beat France 8-0 in the Olympic Games gold medal match in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1920. Four years later they repeated the dose in Paris with a 17-3 win to claim another Olympic gold.
Things haven’t gone so well since for team USA with France holding a 4-1 record, the most recent win 10-3 win at Thunderstorm on the 1991 tour of North America.
In and out
Having already qualified for the Quarter Finals France have a completely new look about them, not one of Les Bleus starting XV from their last match against Scotland will start this match.
With players of the calibre of Fabien Pelous, Serge Betsen, Imanol Harinordoquy, Fabien Galthie, Christophe Dominici, Tony Marsh and Nicolas Brusque all being rested it presents a great opportunity for France’s fringe players to impress coach Laporte.
The changes include Olivier Milloud, Yannick Bru and David Auradou - Poux in the front row and a new halves combination of Gerald Merceron and Dmitri Yachvili.
The United States, fresh off Monday's World Cup win over Japan, have made just two changes and will send their best team out against the French.
For the Eagles lock Alec Parker returns from a knock against Scotland to join with Luke Gross in the second row, while fullback John Buchholz, who came on as a substitute against both Fiji and Japan, earns his first start of the World Cup.
Eagles captain Dave Hodges will start at the openside flanker position, and is joined by blindside flanker Kort Schubert and number 8 Dan Lyle, who earns his 45th cap to pass coach Tom Billups for sole possession of fourth place on the all-time Eagles list.
The front row remains Mike MacDonald, Kirk Khasigian, and Dan Dorsey, reuniting the starting forward pack from the Eagles' first two World Cup contests.
In the backs, Kevin Dalzell slots in at scrumhalf alongside flyhalf Mike Hercus, who needs just a conversion to pass Matt Alexander’s Eagles single season record of 133 points. The conversion would also give Hercus 200 points in his Eagles career.
Salesi Sika makes his second career start at center, joined by Phillip Eloff, who helped propel the Eagles to their Monday night victory with a try, several strong runs, and solid tackling. Kain Cross, who started the Eagles' first two World Cup contests, remains unavailable due to injury.
Riaan Van Zyl and David Fee will start on the wings for the fourth time in this World Cup and the 11th of 13 games.
Key players
The Eagles have built their game around Australian-born fly half Mike Hercus but the forwards need to provide a good platform for him to perform at his best.
They will be ably led by veteran captain Dave Hodges, fellow flanker Kort Shubert and number 8 Dan Lyle.
Yannick Bru will lead the new-look French team in the absence of Galthie, Laporte rewarding him for his efforts as skipper of the France 'A' team last year.
France fly half Frederic Michalak, who has been the star with the ball in hand and off the boot in his previous outings at RWC 2003, will start from the reserves bench as will dangerous flanker Olivier Magne.
Prop Sylvain Marconnet will wear No.17 but can expect to get plenty of game time.
In their absence, it will be up Bru and the experienced lock Olivier Brouzet to the pave the way in the forwards.
In the backs fly half Gerald Merceron is expected to fill Michalak’s boots and centre Damien Traille should cause plenty of headaches in the midfield.
What it means
A win for USA would no doubt help them in their bid to improve their standing in a saturated American sports market, while a loss to France at this stage of the Tournament would be a huge blow to their confidence heading into the quarter finals.
What they said
France coach Bernard Laporte on USA:
"We do not know very much outside of this Tournament. They play very well, they are strong and hard. It should be a very interesting match."
"They have a fly half (Mike Hercus) who gets the team playing and releases the backs, and they have strong physical centres."
USA coach Tom Billups on France:
"This is the best team America can field," said Billups. "As has been the case all year long, the team selection is based on merit."
"They are world class, they're full-time professionals, even their front row forwards have 7 per cent body fat."
"We are under no illusions of the difficulties that face us Friday night in Wollongong," said Billups.
"The French are proving to have the right formula in place to go straight to the Finals. We know what that formula looks like, having played against Australia in 1999."
Match details
France v USA
WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Kick off: 19:30
Match Officials
Referee: Paul Honiss
Touch judges: Steve Walsh, Kelvin Deaker
TV Match Official: Andy Turner