Bernard Laporte has refused to get involved in Clive Woodward's tactical mind games - publicly at least - as his French team bid to end England's Grand Slam hopes yet again.

If Laporte is concerned about his England counterpart's attempts to give his side additional options by including Sale fly-half Charlie Hodgson at centre for the Twickenham encounter, he is certainly not showing it.

"That's not a very important selection," said the 'The Kaiser', whose side effectively shackled playmaker Jonny Wilkinson as France won 20-15 at the Stade de France in the penultimate match of last season's 6 Nations Championship.

"What is important is what France are going to do on the pitch and what the intentions of England will be against us.

"We know that Hodgson is a fly-half so probably he has a very good kicking game.

"Maybe on one side of the pitch Wilkinson will play centre with Hodgson at fly-half and at the other side it will be the other way round. But in the end, it is nothing. It's one number 10 and one centre."

Laporte however insists he has the utmost respect for the English side. England captain Martin Johnson this week hailed the French back row of Serge Betsen, Olivier Magne and Imanol Harinordoquy as the best in the world but Laporte was too modest to accept the compliment.

"It's the same with the England back row," he said. "I think England are the best team in the world."

It is all very diplomatic and a far cry from the not-too-distant days when fiery England hooker Brian Moore and his French rivals hurled vicious verbal barbs across the Channel.

"I never say that I don't like English people or that certain players are no good," added Laporte.