Although France have dominated in recent years, wins by Wales have come at big moments - the last two have been part of Grand Slams in the Six Nations.DATE: Saturday October 15, 2011
KICK-OFF: 2100 NZDT
VENUE: Eden Park, Auckland
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Played 88: France 42, Wales 43, drawn 3
HEAD-TO-HEAD IN WORLD CUPS: No previous matches
LAST TIME: March 19, 2011 (Paris): France 28-9 Wales

WALKING WOUNDED:
France was out of the blocks very early when they came to naming their team; on Tuesday it was announced the same team which beat England in the quarter-final will be on deck in the semi. There was mild concern over halfback Dimitri Yachvili but he has been named to start, although a bruised thigh may limit his goal-kicking. If he does not do the kicking, Morgan Parra is a more than capable substitute who is maintaining a 90 percent average in the tournament.

Wales had two injury concerns this week, and both affected leading players. Lock Luke Charteris, who had a huge first 40 minutes against Ireland, did not come back after half-time and Rhys Priestland was injured shortly before the end. Both men suffered shoulder injuries. When the team was named on Thursday, Charteris was included but Priestland had not recovered; his replacement by James Hook is the only change from the side that faced Ireland.

FORM:
France:
Beat Japan 47-21
Beat Canada 46-19
Lost to New Zealand 17-37
Lost to Tonga 14-19
Second in Pool A
Beat England 19-12 (qf)

Wales:
Lost to South Africa 16-17
Beat Samoa 17-10
Beat Namibia 81-7
Beat Fiji 66-0
Second in Pool D
Beat Ireland 22-10 (qf)

France's pool form swung between very efficient (in the closing stages of the first two matches) to downright horrible (the last two matches), but the side started to play like a true Test line-up in the quarter-final. A huge advantage was established when France jumped out to a 16-0 half-time lead and, if parts of the second half suggested hanging on, it was done aggressively and well. The defensive line speed was far superior to anything shown in the pool stages and attacks were dangerous thanks to their speed and precision passing. Nobody in the camp was too excited about the performance, suggesting it was only what it should have been throughout, but it was still good.

Wales built into their work through the pool stages and took steps forward every time out. Although the last two matches were against opposition that should have been beaten, Wales was ruthless and clinical in winning those matches. At Wellington the side played positively throughout, even when Ireland got back to 10-10, and thoroughly deserved the win. The defence was outstanding and made sure Ireland could never get going through the forwards, while the whole team played their part in some excellent attacking forays. Having flown under the radar for so long in this tournament, Wales have now revealed themselves as a real chance to play their first final next week.

WHO'S HOT/PLAYER TO WATCH: 
He may be a veteran - he turned 35 just as the tournament started - but it is unlikely France lock Lionel Nallet has played in many bigger matches than this one. Not just because of the stage and timing, but also because he has to cope with a highly skilled and well-performed Wales pair who will test him in the lineouts, put pressure on his scrummaging and place him in many confrontational situations around the pitch. The Frenchman has the skills to cope and has been playing well in the World Cup but now he will be calling up all that experience to find ways of winning this particular battle, which is one of the keenest of many keen individual match-ups.

On the other side Luke Charteris will be doing his best to impose his authority on the game (and Nallet), and his best has been very impressive. One of the bigger men at the tournament, the 2.06m Charteris has not raised eyebrows with his quality aerial skills - the form he has shown there is to be expected of a Test match lock. His work around the park, however, has offered his side a virtual fourth loose forward. By the time he left the quarter-final he had already racked up 16 tackles, made a few charging runs and committed himself to many rucks as well as doing his tight work; those numbers would have been impressive for 80 minutes, not 40.

THEY SAY:
France coach Marc Lievremont could not help but be impressed by Wales in the quarter-final. "I find them excellent and in really good shape," he said. "They play very good rugby, in all areas. I've been impressed by how they kept Ireland under control, because the Irish were in good shape, too. The Welsh play more or less the same rugby as three years ago, but their forwards are more mobile and still very courageous." France can play the same way, which sets up a potentially outstanding match.

Warren Gatland was disappointed for the player but not downcast when he had to name a team without Priestland. "Time was against Rhys. He's done everything we have asked of him and more during this World Cup but when we have payers of the calibre and experience of James Hook and Stephen Jones coming into the squad and starting line-up, there's no sense that Rhys's absence leaves us any weaker," he said. Since any player Gatland has started has performed well, he is right about the minimal disruption the loss of his playmaker should cause.

WE THINK:
As ever, forecasting a match involving France means trying to guess how Les Bleus will go. If the side play at least as well as they did against England the match will be close but that may not be enough; Wales impresses as a team on the rise and one with no obvious weaknesses. The Wales defence has been outstanding and the back play decisive when scoring chances have been on offer, which suggests Wales is on their way to a first World Cup final, and the margin is immaterial.

TEAMS:
France: 1. Jean-Baptiste Poux, 2. William Servat, 3. Nicolas Mas, 4. Pascal Pape, 5. Lionel Nallet, 6. Thierry Dusautoir (capt), 7. Julien Bonnaire, 8. Imanol Harinordoquy, 9. Dimitri Yachvili, 10. Morgan Parra, 11. Alexis Palisson, 12. Maxime Mermoz, 13. Aurelien Rougerie, 14. Vincent Clerc, 15. Maxime Medard.
Reserves: 16. Dimitri Szarzewski, 17. Fabien Barcella, 18. Julien Pierre, 19. Louis Picamoles, 20. Francois Trinh-Duc, 21. David Marty, 22. Cedric Heymans.

Wales: 1. Gethin Jenkins, 2. Huw Bennett, 3. Adam Jones, 4. Luke Charteris, 5. Alun Wyn Jones, 6. Dan Lydiate, 7. Sam Warburton (capt), 8. Toby Faletau, 9. Mike Phillips, 10. James Hook, 11. Shane Williams, 12. Jamie Roberts, 13. Jonathan Davies, 14. George North, 15. Leigh Halfpenny.
Reserves: 16. Lloyd Burns, 17. Paul James, 18. Bradley Davies, 19. Ryan Jones, 20. Lloyd Williams, 21. Stephen Jones, 22. Scott Williams.

REFEREE: Alain Rolland (Ireland)