France have been left to count the cost of their extraordinary victory over New Zealand, with a raft of key players struggling with knocks in the run-up to Saturday's World Cup semi-final against England.

The weekend's 20-18 last-eight victory over the All Blacks has taken its toll on Les Bleus, and ten of their players are nursing injuries sustained during the game.

Serge Betsen staggered off after just five minutes at the weekend, having taken a knee to the back of the head, but the Biarritz flanker is expected to be back in training tomorrow.

France team doctor Thierry Hermerel confirmed: ''Examinations reveal he is back to normal. Serge had a good night's rest (on Saturday) and has recovered well.

''He will rest until Wednesday, when he will return to training.''

The prognosis on prop Olivier Milloud, who did not reappear after the interval at the Millennium Stadium, was not so encouraging.

''He suffered a shock to his neck and we make an assessment on him tonight,'' said Hermerel.

Hermerel then revealed a worrying list of minor injuries that will worry head coach Bernard Laporte as he looks ahead to the crunch semi-final with the world champions.

''Thierry Dusautoir has a bruised hip, Vincent Clerc has hurt his back, Jean-Baptiste Elissalde took a blow to his kneecap, another to his right shoulder, and a strain to the thumb and index finger of his right hand.

''Cedric Heymans has a strain on his right hand, Julien Bonnaire bruising on his backside and calf, and Jerome Thion a tear to his right thigh.

''Dimitri Szarzewski has hurt his shoulder and Yannick Jauzion has bruising to his left eye,'' Hermerel added in French daily L'Equipe.

Most of the above are expected to be fit for this weekend, but scrum-half Pierre Mignoni could be ruled of the tournament with a thigh strain.

The Clermont-Auvergne star is struggling to recover from the injury he sustained against Georgia in France's final Pool D game.

He will take an MRI scan at the start of the week, but it is looking more and more like he could be replaced in the squad by Dimitri Yachvili - the Biarritz number nine and scourge of England in recent RBS 6 Nations Championship matches.

Les Bleus were given the day off yesterday as they returned to Paris from Cardiff, but will be back in training this morning.

Laporte and team manager Jo Maso are scheduled to name their team tomorrow morning for the England game, and by then the injury situation should be much clearer.

If Milloud does not make it, Jean-Baptiste Poux is likely to start in the front row, with Nicolas Mas on the bench. Betsen should be fit to start but Yannick Nyanga and Remy Martin would be battling for the flanker berth.