Rugby: Quade has target on him

Quade Cooper. Photo / Getty Images

The Wallabies are preparing for more international sides to target main man Quade Cooper, with France this Sunday no exception.

French coach Marc Lievremont said this week he had picked two "No.10 hunters" in speedy flankers Fulgence Ouedraogo and captain Thierry Dusautoir.

Cooper is certain to feel the heat as he tries to orchestrate Australia's attack at the Stade de France, something the Wallabies are preparing themselves for.

"Quadey's been under a fair bit of heat all year and I think a lot more teams are going to start targeting him," Wallabies flanker David Pocock said.

"When that happens it's an opportunity for other guys to step up, take a bit of pressure off him.

"As forwards we'll have to be pretty smart about the we play and the way we protect him."

Cooper muscled up in defence for last week's win over Italy but the improved performance came just a week after he missed six tackles in the loss to England, and the French will no doubt be keen to also test his consistency in that area.

Pocock's battle with the French flankers at the breakdown will also be crucial and the Australian No.7 said nullifying quick ball for the lethal Wallabies backs will be Les Bleus' priority.

"They'll be trying pretty hard to slow our ball down and they've got three loose forwards who are pretty good at that," Pocock said.

"Their centres are good too so our wide rucks, we'll have to have a fair bit of focus on them, I think they'll come pretty hard there.

"The breakdown's always such an important part of the game, we saw that against England where we probably came up a bit short."

Wallabies stars have headed out for a dose of high culture in Paris, visiting the famous Musee D'Orsay art collection on the banks of the River Seine.

Taking advantage of their day off, several players were planning the trip to the gallery, which is housed in a converted railway station.

Works by impressionist and post impressionist masters such as Claude Monet, Paul Cezanne and Vincent Van Gogh are hung there among some of the world's most familiar works.

"Last time we did the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre (museum)," Pocock said.

"The Musee D'Orsay, we're keen to have a look in there ... I've heard a lot about it so it would be good to see for myself.

"There's a few guys who want to go so it should be fun."

It's the players who hope to have made an impression on tour selectors, with Robbie Deans to name his side for this weekend's tour-ending Test on Thursday.

- AAP