5.35pmTom Staniforth en FrançaisBy I am quite proud of my schoolboy French, but this is seriously impressive from Tom Staniforth after his debut last week against New Zealand.We are almost ready for the anthems and the teams are almost coming out. Cannot wait.5.32pmTom’s final tipBy Tom DecentFinal tip: Wallabies by four points in a boilover. Think last week’s first half will do them the world of good and have a sneaking suspicion Declan Meredith will shine on debut. Comfort around him with Ryan Lonergan, Len Ikitau and Tom Wright calling the shots. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii needs to make an impact and you get the sense Jorgensen will be busier than last week.Perfect conditions for rugby. Another loss would be pretty dire for Australia in the penultimate game of Joe Schmidt’s tenure.Les Kiss in the stands but not involved with the group today. 25-21 to Australia.Fans gather at a sold out Suncorp Stadium.Getty Images5.29pmLet’s talk tacticsBy A favourite pasttime of every Wallabies supporter is who is your ideal starting five-eighth, but this game has become far more depressing of late.Carter Gordon was outstanding with his running game, but has suffered with a mild calf strain, with his deputy Ben Donaldson also ruled out.Declan Meredith was brilliant at the start of the Super Rugby season, but then tailed off. There’s a huge gulf between Super Rugby and Test rugby, and you are climbing another mountain again facing the French.We can expect Ryan Lonergan to take control of a lot of the kicking out of hand and also off the tee. The Wallabies chances really rest with him staying fit and on the field, after a great 30 minutes against Ireland he will want far more.Harry Wilson warms up in Brisbane.Getty Images5.24pmWill Jordan breaks All Blacks try-scoring record in Italy win By Full time has just blown in Wellington. Will Jordan has scored his 50th try against Italy (who the Wallabies face next week in Perth) and beats former winger Doug Howlett’s long-standing record.5.15pmPayto from SuncorpBy For the second time this week Caxton Street is full and rocking, but let’s hope it’s a different result for the dominant group of fans who are having a cheeky XXXX before this game.The walk to Suncorp Stadium from Brisbane CBD is a great primer for a big Test match but for the last two Test matches here, the Aussie fans were visibly outnumbered. No exaggeration.In 2024, the sea of green Springbok jerseys began in the city and washed all the way into the stands, where Australians were a minority group of fans.Last year, the red hordes of Lions fans were almost as omnipresent; and they had a big presence in Suncorp too.Both results weren’t ideal for the Wallabies.But this year? Perhaps a sold-out Suncorp chock full of gold jerseys will help the home side finally get up.5.08pmHow the French are lining upBy There are three Australian origin players in the French squad tonight, loosehead prop Moses Alo-Emile, Emmanuel Meafou and on the bench Tom Staniforth.Iain Payten worked out how three Aussies ended up lining out for les Bleus here.The big switch Romain NTamack starts at 10 with Jalibert switched to 15, the last time he played there was 2021. Given how much havoc Mack Hansen caused the Wallabies in November with a hat trick as a second playmaker, this is seriously dangerous.5.07pmHow the Wallabies are lining upBy Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt referenced the curse of the number 10 jersey and it’s hard to disagree with him.Declan Meredith will desperately hope that his familarity with the Brumbies, in half back Ryan Lonergan, centre Len Ikitau and fullback Tom Wright helps on a seriously daunting Test debut, facing not one, but two world-class five-eights in Romain Ntamack and the mercurcial Matthieu Jalibert.Apart from the changes in half back and Jock Campbell moving to the bench, there is a settled look for this team that will desperately hope for a big win.5.07pmGood evening rugby fansBy Bonsoir to all who believe in Australian rugby,It’s Jonathan Drennan with you tonight and I cannot wait to take you through tonight’s game.We have two experienced scribes at Suncorp Stadium in Tom Decent and Iain Payten, two men who know their way around a Wallabies Test week, something that cannot be said about debutant Declan Meredith.More on that soon, but sit back and get ready for what promises to be a thriller between these two teams tonight.Declan Meredith will make his debut at No.10 for the Wallabies against France on Saturday in Brisbane.Getty Images1 of 1