By David Walmsley

When Jason Leonard becomes only the third player in rugby union history to win 100 caps, he will do so the hard way.

In November 2001, the England great was able to claim the title of the game's most-capped forward with an armchair ride in a 134-0 romp against hapless Romania.

This time, to claim his century on Saturday he must take on France, the Grand Slam champions, live contenders for the World Cup and a team against whom he expects nothing less than "a bloody, torrid battle - almost like a scene from Gladiator".

It is unlikely he would prefer it any other way.

Over the 13 years and 99 matches of his England career to date, Leonard has revelled in the physical combat of the forward exchanges. Whatever he expects from the French, they will expect to get it back with interest.

Jason Leonard profile

Born: 14 Aug 1968, in Barking Height: 5ft 10in Weight: 17st 2lb Clubs: Barking, Saracens, Harlequins England caps: 99 Lions caps: 5 (three tours) England debut: 28 July 1990, v Argentina

He would not have appeared in three World Cups, been on a hat-trick of Lions tours and supplanted All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick as the game's most-capped forward by any other means.

Leonard has not been an automatic choice since England's defeat in Dublin in 2001.

But it is no coincidence that he remains the man England turn to in a front-row crisis, with England's propping resources currently demimated by injury.

It is also no coincidence it is Leonard who is the last man standing, as only two players in rugby history have proved more durable.

And neither of those greats - France centre Philippe Sella, with 111 caps, and Australia wing David Campese, with 101 - had to subject themselves to the car-crusher pressure of the front row every week.

Leonard was an early initiate into the underworld of the scrum, earning his first cauliflower ear as a 15-year-old playing for Barking Under-19s, and making his England debut at just 22.

Leonard has already passed one milestone

And his recent form suggests his career could yet have as late a finish as the post-match drinking sessions at which he clocked up a century of appearances long before the game went pro.

In between times, Leonard busied himself with appearing in a remarkable 40 consecutive Tests between 1990 and 1995.

Even more remarkably, that sequence also included an operation, in 1992, to repair ruptured vertebrae in his neck using bone taken from his pelvis.

Leonard was off work for seven months - for which he was compensated a princely �800 by the then-staunchly amateur RFU.

But the absence of a summer tour that year meant he was able to pick up his jersey again for England's next international.

Neither his team-mates nor the record books noticed he had been away as Leonard carried on propping, helping his country to another Grand Slam in 1995.

Rugby's most-capped

Philippe Sella (Fra): 111 caps David Campese (Aus): 101 Jason Leonard (Eng): 99 Serge Blanco (Fra): 93 Sean Fitzpatrick (NZ): 92

The 17-stone front-rower's technical excellence in the tight and his contribution to the team's tackle count in the loose have made him first choice under successive England coaches.

But it is the mental strength that saw him bounce back from his career-threatening injury and the pride he takes in representing his country that have arguably done most to sustain him through his 99 Tests.

"Being able to play for my country has been an honour and one I have never taken for granted," he said last week.

"And I never will," he added.

When Leonard reaches his century on Saturday, he has every intention of it being 100 not out.