Australia's pack know the spectre of Marseille will long hang over their heads but believe France have let them off the hook this week by keeping "lazy scrummager" Sebastien Chabal in the second-row.

Wallabies assistant coach Jim Williams was surprised Wednesday to find the French cult hero had not been shifted to his favourite No.8 position for Saturday night's second Test at Suncorp Stadium.

Les Bleus coach Marc Lievremont has made wholesale changes to the team beaten 34-13 at Sydney's ANZ Stadium but kept Chabal at lock even though he altered his back-row.

Williams, who played against England-based Chabal in Europe when the former Wallabies flanker ended his career with Irish powerhouse Munster, felt the long-haired Sale star was wasted in the second-row.

Chabal himself has made it known No.8 is his preferred position, saying lock saps the energy he likes to display as a ferocious ball-runner and defender.

"That is a little bit surprising because that's where (Chabal) makes most impact," Williams said of Lievremont's selection.

"He's a little bit looser and he gets around the park more and has lot more impact, especially with the ball running.

"He's a back-rower by heart. He's a lazy scrummager to tell you the truth from first-hand experience."

Chabal, nicknamed `Caveman' in England, was typically in the thick of the action at ANZ Stadium but was burnt in defence by Matt Giteau for Australia's opening try.

The Wallabies pack did win the honours in the opening Test after the French made it known they would target Australia's forwards.

Williams, who has started as forwards coach this year under Robbie Deans, admitted England's 12-10 World Cup quarter-final upset in Marseille ensured rival nations would attack the Wallabies up front.

The English dismantled Australia's scrum and counter-rucked with huge success at the breakdown but the new coaching regime have not addressed the boilover specifically in team meetings.

"That's one thing that we're trying to work hard on to make sure that it's not an issue but it's always going to be an issue because rival teams will target that area," Williams said.

"We have to make sure we do the simple things well and that has been earmarked with the Australian forwards as to why they got outmuscled."

The Wallabies expect France to test them more in defence by using the ball more at Suncorp Stadium, which is in tune with the selection of Francois Trinh-Duc at five-eighth.

As the final warm-up to their Tri-Nations campaign, kicking off for the Wallabies against South Africa in Perth on July 19, there's a demand for an 80-minute performance after fits and spurts against Ireland and France.

"We're not going to have that latitude against South Africa and New Zealand if we don't start off well and compete in every facet early on," said Williams. "We need to make sure we are there, thereabouts or it will be a very difficult Tri-Nations series for us."

Williams also warned the Springboks would be advantaged by being battled-hardened by the intensity of back-to-back Tri-Nations clashes with the All Blacks in the next two weeks.

"It's certainly an advantage to them, without a shadow of a doubt," he said.

"They're two world-class teams who are as strong as they can be, that will hold them in good stead with the Tests that are coming up.

"Obviously with ourselves having those Tests against teams who are at the end of their seasons and they're trying combinations while NZ and SA are going in with their best teams."

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