The Wallabies are bracing themselves for a torrid showdown with the French on Saturday night, suspecting the surprise recall of cult hero Sebastien Chabal may inspire Les Bleus to produce one of their special home Test performances.

After being frozen out during this year's Six Nations tournament and only used off the bench in their two previous autumn Test wins over Argentina and the Pacific Islanders, "Caveman" Chabal has been handed a lifeline by French coach Marc Lievremont.

An explosive and fearless ball runner, Chabal will line up in the second row at Stade de France.

"The public's support for Sebastien will certainly be important at the beginning of the match," said French forwards coach Didier Retiere. "Everyone is looking forward to his return."

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans had no doubt Chabal's inclusion was designed to galvanise the French team and energise the home crowd in the same dramatic manner he did during last year's Rugby World Cup in France.

"They wouldn't have made the change lightly," Deans said on Tuesday.

"It's obviously based on the way he plays and what he offers them.

"We know him pretty well and playing at Stade de France he will embody their direct approach and try to bring the crowd into the game.

"He's hugely popular."

Chabal was the very public face of France's home World Cup campaign, lifting the side to dizzy heights at times and also stirring interest in rugby in an areas of the soccer-obsessed previously thought unimaginable.

But while he remains one of France's most popular and highest-paid sports stars, Chabal's selection caught Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock off guard on Tuesday.

Mortlock conceded Chabal was one of the few players capable of intimidating opposition sides and said the Wallabies needed to treat him with respect - but without fear.

"I don't think you want to go into a Test match with doubt, or (with) fear for your opposition. It's not a good state to be in," Mortlock said.

While most of France's frontline players sat out the 2-0 series loss to the Wallabies in Australia this winter, Chabal is one of the few tourists backing up on Saturday with Lievremont now having all his stars back available for selection.

"They're playing at home and they wouldn't have enjoyed their last experience against us, so they we'll be wanting to belt us - to put it bluntly," Deans said.

"Obviously the French combination (in Australia) was one that was thrown together at the end of a long season.

"It's different circumstances now. They're coming into their season now. They're fresh. They've got Six Nations coming. They aspire to positions. They aspire to being part of the French group going forward.

"So there'll be a lot of ambition and excitement around that, and they've had some preparation. It's totally different."

The Wallabies on Tuesday trained without halfback Luke Burgess, who was laid low with the flu.

But coach Deans, who was also feeling under the weather, said Burgess was not in doubt at this stage.

"Luke's coming along okay," he said.

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