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The French will want to avenge their defeat in the semi-finals of Rugby World Cup 2003 when they host England at Stade de France on Saturday.

Although the memory of that crushing 24-7 defeat at Stadium Australia will still linger in their minds, the French faithful - who understand their rugby better than most nations do - will be safe in the knowledge that England have not enjoyed much success in France in recent years.

In fact, England - who shocked Australia in last week's first quarter-final - have won just one of their five matches against their old foe at the Stade de France since 1998, and that in 2000.

However, what will concern English fans even more is that prior to their Six Nations victory over France at the Stade de France in 2000, their team had gone six years without winning across the channel.

In the first of just two victories in France in the past 13 years, England beat their hosts at the Parc des Princes in a Five Nations clash back in 1994.

But overcoming Les Bleus' sound home-record, especially at an 80,000-seater stadium, is merely the first hurdle for an English team has actually struggled across the board in the past four years since winning the 2003 World Cup, having also lost to France twice at Twickenham in their last six matches. (England are also on their third coach since the last RWC.)

What could help England though is that they have a superior World Cup record against the men in blue.

Two of the three World Cup encounters between the teams have been do-or-die battles, which England have won - the first in the 1991 World Cup quarter-finals, ironically played at France's Parc des Princes, when the visitors won 19-10.

In the other critical showdown, England - or should that be Jonny Wilkinson? - were too composed for France in the 2003 World Cup semi-finals, despite having gone 7-0 down to an early Serge Betsen try.

Wilkinson kicked five penalties and three drop-goals as England won 24-7, with French fly-half Frédéric Michalak managing just one from five attempts at goal.

The only time France have ever beaten England in a World Cup match was in a third/fourth-place play-off fixture at Loftus Versfeld in the 1995 event hosted by South Africa. France won a dour, kicking-based encounter 19-9.

What stands out from England's perspective is their glaring inability to score tries at the Stade de France, although tries have not always dominated World Cup play-off matches.

In the only match that France has ever lost to England at the Stade de France, the home team failed to score any tries.

Overall, however, France have scored nine tries to England's four in their four recent victories at Saturday's venue.

This weekend's semi-final will present the ideal opportunity for France to beat England in a World Cup when it really matters, allowing someone like Michalak the perfect opportunity to lay the ghosts of 2003 to rest.

By Siyabonga Mchunu