France face South Africa in Toulouse, the nation's rugby epicentre, on Friday. A rugby nation who have been plotting their course towards the next World Cup in 2011 against the world champions, who remain the best side in the world; halfway between the previous and the next World Cup this is "the turning point", as the French coach, Marc Lievremont, describes the match.

The erratic selections that have been his trademark since he took over seem destined to be history. He has lost many games to find his framework but, after an away win in New Zealand in the summer, something solid is arising out of the wreckage of desperate defeats such as the 34-10 loss at Twickenham as recently as this year.

France have named a squad of 30 players. Only four of the initial selections were uncapped. The experimentation is almost over. "A group of 20-25 players is in place that works. We will gradually move towards 2011," Lievremont says. Nothing franks the coach's statement quite as much as the decision to remove Lionel Nallet — " as a captain he was impeccable" — and replace him with the inspiring Toulouse flanker Thierry Dusautoir.

Lievremont no longer wants somebody to nurse a bewildering variety of young players; he wants a man to lead them to victories. Dusautoir is an outstanding candidate in an area of outstanding strength for France.

If they are to beat the Springboks on Friday they will have to dominate one of South Africa's strongest sectors, the back row. The injury to Pierre Spies is cause for French optimism but if Juan Smith overcomes his knee ligament problem South Africa will remain both powerful and balanced in the back row with Heinrich Brussow, arguably the flanker of 2009, and Ryan Kankowski complementing the wiles of Smith.

France also have glorious back-row talent. Their captain is an incredibly consistent performer but the outstanding individual performer is the moody Basque warrior Imanol Harinordoquy. He has sulked his way through some lean years but is back to his best — and setting new standards for himself — as one of the supreme lineout forwards and link players on the planet. The main worry for France is deciding who plays alongside these phenomenal performers.

If France wish to challenge the Victor Matfield lineout fiefdom, Fulgence Ouedraogo is the lithe option. If they decide to compete physically, Toulouse's Louis Picamoles stands out. Picamoles plays as if hewn from marble, hard while also elegant, maybe not quite in the mould of a Rodin but tough on the tackler and easy on the eye; Lievremont has to make this core selection decision based on French strategy.

No side has dominated South Africa physically for some time but the Lions showed the scrum can be vulnerable. With William Servat an imposing hooker between Perpignan's granite prop Nicolas Mas and Stade's timeless Sylvain Marconnet, France might just fancy a full-on physical assault in, which case Pascal Pape starts in the second row with a charged-up Sebastien Chabal hurling himself into the fray for an hour or so. This promises to be a titanic forward battle in which France are capable of holding their own, inspired by the fanatical fans from their southwest heartlands.

Behind the scrum France also have a rising tide of talent. Maxime Mermoz is off the same production line that gave us Phillipe Sella and Yannick Jauzion while Maxime Medard is a chip off the Blanco block. Like the great man he makes errors but the brilliance of his attacking game and his vision mean he is a certain starter, with a host of flying wingers from whom to choose.

Scrum-half concerns have been eradicated with the emergence of Julien Dupuy as first choice and Morgan Parra a younger, contrasting back-up.

The one glaring weakness is at fly-half. Frederic Michalak has been recalled with the coach wistfully hoping he can reach his potential. Having already had 50 opportunities this is wishful thinking, which leaves France dependent on Francois Trinh-Duc. He was magnificent in the first Test victory against New Zealand but has to find the consistency and the control before the position can be considered anything but a relative weakness.

The Springboks themselves began the year with a quandary at fly-half but they have found, albeit reluctantly on the part of their coach Pieter de Villiers, a steady fly-half who happens to be a great goalkicker. In this season's Tri-Nations Morne Steyn landed a stunning 29 from 33 attempts. The majestic series-winning kick against the Lions in Pretoria was a sighter for things to come.

France must keep the discipline with which Lievremont's predecessor, Bernard Laporte, was obsessed and they will have to march the Springbok pack onto the back foot to prevent the world's best rugby player, Fourie du Preez, from dictating the shape of the game from scrum-half. Du Preez, with Matfield and the captain, John Smit, will have to be wrapped in cotton wool to make 2011 but, if they are fit and raring to go by then, South Africa will be the team to beat, such is the vibrant talent simmering away.

New Zealand will probably crack under the pressure of internal expectations as World Cup hosts. And that could open the way for Friday night's match to be repeated as the final in Auckland. The countdown to 2011 begins in Toulouse.