It was one of the more quirky aspects of the Six Nations that you'll never see in any other competition.

With both France and Ireland poised to win the Six Nations title, it was lucky that both nations were playing at separate venues on the British isles. France was playing Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and Ireland was playing England at Twickenham in London.

Thus, with the title finely balanced, it was decided that the trophy and champagne be strategically placed at a location between Cardiff and London in a fast car. Whoever won the Six Nations would have to wait a rather minor 30 minutes or so while the car would wing its way to them.

In the event, the "strategic location" was a car park in a motorway service station near Swindon, and Les Bleus had to wait 45 minutes to raise the trophy, even then in an alcove next to their changing rooms.

Nothing is ever straightforward for Les Bleus. In the same year they can be untouchable, defying even the strongest Southern Hemisphere side in a way that only a French side can, and also so awful that even a under 13s touch rugby side could run rings around them. Unpredictability is the watch word of Bernard Laporte's Les Bleus and it happens in more ways than one.

One of the sides that France usually surprise are Jake White's South Africa. One pities South Africa sometimes, for after an amazing tri-nations performance, they always seem to book a match with a France who, stung by the criticism of a stuttering Six Nations performance, take out their frustrations on the poor Boks. Recently, France has trounced South Africa to prove that they do deserve the fourth place tag in the International Rugby Board's rankings.

This time will be different, as France travels to South Africa to face the mighty Springboks on their own soil. This will be slightly different for France, for they will be facing the double challenge of bouncing back from an indifferent Six Nations and playing away from home.

Since the Boks last lost to France (which was in 2004 by the way during Jake White's rather over optimistic "grand slam tour" of the northern hemisphere), they have shared the mantle with New Zealand and Ireland of "most improved team since the World Cup," winning 69% of their international games in 2005.

Very sadly, devastating open side flanker Schalk Burger is out with a possible career threatening injury, but this still is a very powerful and intimidating international side, both on paper and on form. Any side that can frustrate and contain the All Blacks side deserves plaudits.

And, the team sheet speaks for itself. With an electric back line possibly including Percy Montgomery, Jaco van der Westhuyzen and Bryan Habana to name a few, White has also named a few "wet weather" players and it is the aptly named Barry de Wet and Danie Rossouw. Even if it doesn't rain these players don't mess around, Rossouw being an able understudy flanker to Schalk Burger for example.

On the French side, Laporte has been experimenting with his French side to try and counter this very ability to frustrate even the best attacking side. Laporte can take comfort in the way that Scotland had cut through the Springbok defense on multiple occasions last weekend. With electric backs like Florian Fritz, Damien Traille and Christophe Dominici, France does have the capability to cut any defense wide open.

France also has the luck of possessing so much talent that they can rest utility back Thomas Castaignede, as well as field five forwards on the bench for that extra grunt and power if it is needed.

Yes, on paper this is a very powerful French side, capable of beating the best on their day. However, the weather isn't on their side (it is apparently going to be miserably wet in Cape Town).

Regardless of the weather, if France does get motivated, it will be a very close contest.