Vickery (right) - ready for France.

By Andrew Baldock, PA Sport Rugby Union Correspondent, Paris

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Phil Vickery is ready to meet the revered French scrum head-on on Saturday, but he admits: "It will be a huge challenge."

A juggernaut French pack has rumbled its way untroubled through this season's RBS Six Nations Championship, providing the platform for victories over Ireland, Italy, Wales and Scotland.

If they can nudge England on to the back foot, then the world champions' outside chance of Six Nations title glory will surely disappear.

Props Sylvain Marconnet and Pieter de Villiers - 78 caps between them - have given France a destructive edge up front, and England are now in their sights.

In a game littered with fascinating individual confrontations, the front-row battle could prove to be the decisive contest.

"It doesn't matter what French rugby you watch, club or international, there is always a very powerful scrum evident. They put a great emphasis on it," said Gloucester star Vickery, who will oppose Stade Francais loosehead Marconnet.

"This weekend is going to be a huge challenge for all of us. If you aspire to want to compete at the top level, then tomorrow's game is certainly one for the front-row forwards.

"I think the French have such good discipline now, allied to their out-and-out power. In years gone by, they would hit a scrum, keep going and give away a free-kick or a penalty, but now, they listen to the referees.

"You have to give credit to Bernard Laporte (French coach) for that. He's changed the whole mindset in a way, so it is a great challenge.

"We need a pack of forwards this weekend who want to go out and scrummage. If we get that right, then the rest of it will follow.

"If you don't get the scrum right, then the rest of the stuff doesn't happen. It's your first point of defence, and it's your first point of attack. If you can't win the majority of your own ball, the other things can't happen," he added.

"The fear factor is there with most front rows now. The French, if allowed to do what I know they can do, then they can be the most destructive pack in world rugby by a country mile. The fear factor is there - we have to go out, and we have to perform.

"It will be a great spectacle and as a player you want to play in the big games. France versus England in Paris is a huge game."

Vickery, by his own high standards, is among a handful of England players who have not hit top form in this season's Six Nations tournament.

And with the powerful Julian White waiting on England's bench, Vickery concedes that England have quality in reserve.

"I am under pressure all the time," he said.

"Everyone talks about Julian's scrummaging, but he is a great all-round player.

"I get disappointed sometimes when I hear people talk just about his scrummaging, because he's more than that.

"I know that my position is up for grabs if I don't perform, and it is up to me. I've got to push Julian, and he has got to push me.

"France are a good side - it is going to be very difficult for us. They hold the aces so to speak, but at the end of the day it's 15 blokes versus 15 blokes on a pitch. We've won there before when no-one gave us a prayer.

"We are under no illusions just how difficult it is going to be, but you've got to have a go, haven't you?"