France coach Marc Lievremont thinks Jonny Wilkinson can still make a key contribution in the crunch RBS 6 Nations encounter.

The Toulon fly-half will start on the bench for England in Paris.

And that, plus the Wilkinson factor, makes the English dangerous opponents, according to Lievremont.

"I was a little surprised when I heard Wilkinson was not playing," he said.

"I was expecting Wilkinson to start if he was fit, or not to take part at all if he hadn't recovered from his head injury.

"I haven't forgotten, however, that Wilkinson was not playing last year at Twickenham and Toby Flood was at fly-half. It didn't save us from conceding 30 points.

"And we know that if the match is in the balance, Wilkinson can come on and that could be decisive."

Lievremont was less surprised with the composition of the rest of the England XV.

"We were expecting the return of Simon Shaw who is the cornerstone of the English pack," he said.

"We were also expecting England to beef up their backline with a player like (Mike) Tindall, even if I appreciate Mathew Tait is more creative and unpredictable.

"Through the selections of Shaw and Tindall, England have unveiled their game plan."

France captain Thierry Dusautoir is more concerned at his side beating themselves than he is the threat of England.

"The greatest mistake we could make is to doubt everything we have achieved so far," he said.

"The English expect one thing: that we ask ourselves too many questions."

He added: "It is always difficult and yet exciting to play England.

"Since the start it has always been our aim to win the tournament so there is a great deal of tension.

"I will try to lead the team, find the right words without putting them under any added pressure."

While Lievremont and Dusautoir took a circumspect approach at today's press conference, number eight Imanol Harinordoquy was more bullish when discussing his thoughts on the English.

The 30-year-old Biarritz star has been one of France's key performers during their 2010 campaign and is on a revenge mission after losing to England at the semi-final stage in both the 2003 and 2007 World Cups.

"England are a team who I like to play against because they are a great side," he said.

"You know that you are in for a hell of a match and that your opposite number is not going to concede an inch. There will be fights, of course.

"There is no hatred, nothing personal.

"But I have a vindictive personality. England is a team that has prevented us from playing in two World Cup finals, so therefore yes we really want to beat them."

Although England, under Martin Johnson, have underperformed this season, Harinordoquy expects old rivalries to resurface this weekend.

He added: "Even if the English are not here to win the title, they will try to get up our noses. It will be the toughest match of the Six Nations in terms of intensity.

"We are not aiming to put on a spectacle, we have something to win.

"On Saturday, we are playing a final."