THE worst kept secret from the Rugby World Cup has emerged after French number eight Imanol Harinordoquy admitted the players largely overlooked “lost” coach Marc Lievremont to reach the final.

MARC LIEVREMONT admitted he could not have asked for any more from his players after they went agonisingly close to destroying New Zealand’s World Cup dream.

Marc Lievremont admitted he could not have asked for any more from his players after they went agonisingly close to destroying New Zealand’s World Cup dream.

THE one area of consistent performance from the unpredictable French has been the solidity of their set piece.

SINCE Graham Henry took over the All Blacks in 2004, they have an 85% winning record in tests.

AS the eldest of eight children, Marc Lievremont’s robust style in coaching the French rugby squad should perhaps surprise nobody.

Morgan Parra has admitted the French players have been hurt by stinging criticism surrounding their appearance in Sunday’s World Cup final against New Zealand.

DRAMA seems to follow this French team like a bad smell. It’s not enough that manager Marc Lievremont has blasted his players, and the players ignore his every public word.

France coach Marc Lievremont has named an unchanged team for Sunday’s World Cup final against New Zealand in Auckland.

IS IT possible that the Tinkerman will have the last laugh?

MARC LIEVREMONT blasted a section of his France squad as “spoilt brats” after he discovered some players went out to celebrate their World Cup semi-final win against Wales.

France coach Marc Lievremont has named an unchanged team for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final against Wales.

France head coach Marc Lievremont revelled in his side's 19-12 Rugby World Cup quarter-final victory over England today and immediately began looking towards next week's last-four clash with Wales.

FRANCE coach Marc Lievremont believes he has an international consensus to boot England out of the rugby World Cup.

France head coach Marc Lievremont believes the loss to Tonga has sparked his team into action for tomorrow’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against England in Auckland.

BEN FODEN warned England will be heading into the “danger zone” against France in Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final.

FRANCE No.8 Imanol Harinordoquy hopes Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final with England will mark the start of the tournament for Les Bleus.

ENGLAND’S quarter-final opponents France appear to be on the brink of civil war — a crisis which puts the disciplinary challenges facing Martin Johnson into stark perspective.

France coach Marc Lievremont has conceded after the “shame” of yesterday’s shock defeat to Tonga that his squad are not united in pursuit of a first Rugby World Cup title.

IF THERE are deep divisions and rumblings of rebellion running through the French camp at the Rugby World Cup, it is news to the squad’s defence guru, Dave Ellis.

FRANCE Coach Marc Lievremont has rounded on journalists covering the French World Cup campaign, saying some of them take delight in seeing the French team lose.

New Zealand 37 France 17

IMANOL HARINORDOQUY has mocked claims that France have deliberately selected a weakened team for Saturday’s big World Cup group clash with New Zealand.

New Zealand fly-half Dan Carter has been declared fully fit for Saturday’s crucial World Cup clash with France at Eden Park.

THE World Cup has been turned on its head and Ireland are the talk of New Zealand.

FRANCE coach Marc Lièvremont has sprung a major surprise by handing Morgan Parra a rare start at fly-half for this weekend’s pivotal World Cup Pool A clash against New Zealand.

FRANCE coach Marc Lievremont was “satisfied” after seeing his side claim a second straight bonus-point win in Pool A with a 46-19 success over Canada in Napier.

ENGLAND prop Andrew Sheridan and French fly-half David Skrela hobbled home from the World Cup just as Samoa entered the fray with a resounding win and New Zealanders fretted about the back of prized asset Dan Carter.

France 47 Japan 21

HAVING quit rugby union for rugby league and then come back again, France centre Fabrice Estebanez has finally made up his mind what he wants to do: shine at the World Cup.

PHILIPPE SAINT-ANDRE will take over from Marc Lièvremont as the French rugby coach after the world cup.

Toulon rugby director Philippe Saint-Andre looks set to succeed Marc Lievremont as France coach after the upcoming World Cup.

MARC LIEVREMONT’S gift for the unexpected makes second-guessing the French coach a foolish business but the expectation is that Cedric Heymans will be named in the national squad on Sunday.

France coach Marc Lievremont has made true on his promise to ring the changes for this weekend's return friendly against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, by making 13 changes to the side that started in Bordeaux on Saturday.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney refused to be cheered by a vastly improved second-half performance in last night’s 19-12 defeat by France.

France 19 Ireland 12

BORDEAUX may be famed for its wine and lush countryside, but not too many of the current Irish squad have as many happy memories as the rest of us.

BORDEAUX may be famed for its wine and lush countryside, but not too many of the current Irish squad have as many happy memories as the rest of us.

FRANCE coach Marc Lièvremont has thrown down the gauntlet to his players ahead of Saturday’s World Cup warm-up with Ireland in Bordeaux by declaring that Les Bleus are now in “competition mode”.

Biarritz forward Raphael Lakafia will make his France debut against Ireland in Bordeaux on Saturday.

SEBASTIEN CHABAL was left out of France’s provisional World Cup squad for sporting rather than political reasons, national team boss Marc Lievremont declared.

Sebastien Chabal was left out of France’s provisional World Cup squad for sporting rather than political reasons, according to national team boss Marc Lievremont.

Sebastien Chabal has been omitted from France’s provisional 32-man squad for the World Cup in September.

France 28 Wales 9