France reveal game plan for Sam Kerr in World Cup quarter final

France are expecting Sam Kerr to start for Australia in their mammoth Women's World Cup quarter final clash on Saturday.

Kerr, 29, came off the bench for the final 10 minutes of the Matildas' 2-0 win over Denmark in the last-16 on Monday, returning from a calf injury picked up on the eve of the tournament.

Her appearance has sent a major warning to the rest of the competition, but French midfielder Kenza Dali insists her side will be ready for the Chelsea superstar.

'I think she's a great player and I hope for her, she's going to play,' Dali said after France set up the quarter-final clash with a 4-0 win over Morocco on Tuesday night.

'It must have been really sad and frustrating for her to watch from the side.

'I do believe she's prepared herself for us and she's going to be there, I'm a hundred per cent sure.'

Kerr was seen with a bandage on her calf on Wednesday as she stepped up her training ahead of the big match, but veteran midfielder Tameka Yallop believes the Matildas are 'more than capable' of winning the tournament without a major contribution from their captain.

Australia's squad was split into two at training, with the starting team from Monday night's 2-0 win over Denmark at a separate recovery venue ahead of Saturday's knockout quarter-final against France.

Kerr, who looked lively in her first minutes off the bench for the tournament having overcome a calf injury, and the rest of the players who played reduced minutes or sat on the bench against the Danes were put through their paces at the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre.

She went through a host of stretches with the other players and didn't seem in any discomfort.

The success of the Matildas without Kerr in the starting line-up has posed questions about whether coach Tony Gustavsson should make any changes to his starting line-up for the clash with Les Bleues.

Yallop, who also tasted her first action of the tournament on Monday night as a late substitute, said the 'whole team' was keen for Kerr be given 'more minutes' against the French.

'It's always great to see her out on the field,' Yallop said.

'I don't think she needs any confidence boosting. She knows her abilities and she always brings them when she comes out on to the field.'

However, Yallop stressed there was more to the Matildas than just Kerr.

'In the past there have been times she's not even been in camp, and we've coped. We've got, world-class players that have stepped up every time,' the former Brisbane Roar and Melbourne City star said.

'For us, I don't think it (Kerr's absence) was a major shock that the press was going on about because we know how capable we are. We know the talent that we have.

'The shock was more on a personal level. You know how hard she's worked to be here and how focused she is, so on the field we're more than capable (without her), and off the field, she has been a great support for us and we have for her.

'We've got 23 quality players and anyone who's out on the field is there because they deserve to be there.'