Try-scoring Teddy v Argentine Imhoff

 

Imhoff and Thomas both ply their trade at Racing-Metro in the French Top 14 but they will come face-to-face at the Stade de France on Saturday.

 

Right wing Imhoff will be tasked with stopping left wing Thomas from adding to his four international tries in just two appearances since marking his debut 10 days ago with a hat-trick against Fiji.

 

And while the 26-year-old Argentine backs himself to come out trumps, he claims Thomas is by far the more naturally gifted of the pair.

 

Imhoff said the 21-year-old has "everything" to become an "icon of French rugby".

 

"I like his spirit because like me he's a ball-player who loves rugby," said Imhoff.

 

"But we're different: he has talent and a great physique, even though he's young.

 

"He has natural qualities whereas me, in Argentina I was too skinny. I had to put in a lot of physical work to get up to the level.

"For his age, he's huge, powerful and fast."

 

According to Thomas, Imhoff, who has scored 13 tries in 25 caps for the Pumas, is merely being modest and the respect is mutual.

 

"He's an unpredictable player with crazy talent, whether with his feet or his hands. We never know what he's going to do, he never does the same thing twice and he knows how to do practically everything," said the Frenchman.

 

Thomas's debut hat-trick may have been impressive but Imhoff is one of the few players who can boast of having bettered that – he scored four tries on his 2009 debut and followed that up with three more in his next two appearances.

 

However, whereas Thomas began his international career against Fiji and Australia, Imhoff did so against relative minnows Chile, twice, and Uruguay.

 

Although they are teammates in Paris, they don't know each other particularly well and have only lined up in Racing's colours together twice.

 

Thomas was only brought to the club from Biarritz in the summer while Imhoff missed the start of the European season as he was on international duty with Argentina in the Rugby Championship.

 

They first played together in 26-10 European Champions Cup victory at Treviso on October 26 before playing their second match on opposite wings a week later in the shock 17-21 home defeat to then-rock bottom Oyonnax in the league.

 

"We haven't seen a lot of each other but the little we have we've noticed many common traits," added Thomas.

 

"He's someone I really enjoy training with. I take to the letter every piece of advice he gives me."

 

Imhoff added: "At first we were a bit shy with each other but once we got onto the pitch we opened up."

 

They will be expecting to see a lot more of each other at close quarters on Saturday, where the only opening up they'll be hoping to do is in terms of a gap as they charge towards their opponents' tryline.