Australia's rhythmic gymnasts face a tough ask at this week's world championships in France, but should still do enough to secure a berth at next year's London Olympics.

The top 15 individuals from the all-around competition and teams which fill the first six places will secure automatic qualification for the 2012 Games, with the week-long event starting on Monday in Montpelier.

Another five individual and four team places will be up for grabs at the test event in London in January, but Australia is still expected to get to London by virtue of an Oceania wildcard, which will be granted to the highest-ranked Oceania performer at the world championships.

Leading Aussies Janine Murray and Danielle Prince are expected to battle it out for that wildcard spot, with direct qualification likely to be out of reach in a competition dominated by the European nations.

At last year's world championships in Russia, Australia finished 19th in the teams event, with Murray (64th) and Prince (80th) finishing well down the field in the individual all-around.

They will be joined in Montpelier by Jaelle Cohen and Taylor Tirahardjo.

National champion Prince dominated in all four disciplines - clubs, ball, hoop and ribbon - at July's Australian titles in Perth, and Murray teamed with Naazmi Johnston to win the team's gold at last year's Commonwealth Games.

But that was achieved minus the Europeans, the traditional powerhouse, with Russia having filled the top four places at last month's Berlin Masters where Murray finished a creditable 24th.

Cohen will compete in the hoop and ribbon in Montpelier as she looks to continue her development at international level, the Sydney 17-year-old juggling a host of overseas competitions with her studies having just completed her HSC trials last week.

Steve Jancetic
AAP