Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock is tipping the French to feel the backlash for their mid-week verbal attack on the wing king.

Mortlock suspects Tuqiri is none too happy about rookie opposite Alexis Palisson's stunning and somewhat naive show of disrespect.

Set for his Test debut at ANZ Stadium, Palisson - who will be conceding a massive 28 kilograms in weight and 16 centimetres in height to Tuqiri - said he had nothing to fear and even pointed out perceived deficiencies in the dual international's game.

"I am used to that kind of opposition. You simply avoid taking him face on," the 20-year-old Palisson was quoted on www.rugbyrama.fr website.

"He is not always attentive around the ruck. I hope to get the chance to surprise him."

In the L'Equipe newspaper, Palisson also rather innocuously said Tuqiri was susceptible to kicks in behind because of his positioning.

"On video we have seen that Tuqiri is also less attentive to the kicking game behind his back," Palisson said.

"No, no ... I am not having any nightmares. In any case, I never look at any player that I am about to face up to."

Mortlock suggested Palisson's brazen assessment of Tuqiri could come back to haunt him.

"Yeah, it's got that feeling about it," Mortlock said when asked if he was expecting a big game from Tuqiri.

"Put it this way, if I was marking Lote, I would never trash talk him the week leading up to the game.

"It's happened a few times and 'The Shark' tends to come out.

"So, if that happens, I'd be more than happy to see it."

Mortlock said team-mates alerted Tuqiri to Palisson's comments at breakfast on Thursday morning and sensed the Fijian-born match-winner would use the untimely critique as prime motivation to run rampant against the French.

"Lote's played top level in league, top level in union, and he's the sort of guy that relishes that one-on-one contest," Mortlock said.

"The bigger the contest is, tends to bring out the best in him.

"He's a competitor, a really competitive guy, and I'm excited to see how he goes tomorrow night."

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