The home side have giants Will Skelton and Kane Douglas among their ranks while the third-place visitors are likely to include 105-time Wallaby Rob Simmons at lock.

Simmons made his final Test appearance in 2020 before joining Les Jaunards last season and returned from injury in last week’s narrow Champions Cup loss at Leinster

Douglas, a mere 120kg, linked up with Skelton at Stade Marcel-Deflandre this term after the 145kg ‘Tractor’ helped Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle to back-to-back Champions Cup titles.

“We all know what his X-factor is, pure size and brutality. He personifies probably their forward pack,” Simmons told AFP of Skelton.

“They play that power game. They’re route one, down your throat. He personifies that so we know what we’re going to get,” he added.

Skelton played twice for Australia during their four-game November tour under new coach Joe Schmidt, having captained his country at last year’s disastrous Rugby World Cup.

Simmons backed the 32-time international to be part of Schmidt’s set-up for next summer’s British and Irish Lions series.

“He’s quite a unique player,” Simmons said having been part of the 2015 World Cup squad with Skelton.

“The fact that he was included just recently shows that they’re obviously considering him.

“To consider him, you build the team a bit differently. He offers different things,” he added.

‘A good truffade’

Simmons has played 32 games for central-France side Clermont since arriving last summer, having spent three seasons at London Irish.

He and his family have quickly settled into French life, and Simmons is particularly fond of eating the Auvergne speciality, truffade, a hearty dish made of potatoes and local cows’ cheese, rarely found outside the region.

“The lifestyle’s nice and the things they have to offer they’re proud of and they do well,” Simmons said.