France resume their Pool D campaign at the Olympic Stadium against Romania tonight with Johnny Sexton declaring Philippe Saint-Andre’s side “the best they’ve looked in years”.

France 32 Italy 10: There were just four minutes to go on Saturday night when Frederic Michalak’s number came up.

He’s back in favour with Les Bleus, but the mercurial No 10 of the unpredictable temperament continues to be the poster boy for France’s fragility, says Gavin Mortimer

France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has left out fly-half Francois Trinh-Ducfrom his 31-man World Cup squad, in favour of Frederic Michalak.

Leinster will be burdened by massive regrets this week as they somehow attempt to patch themselves up for an unforgiving five-day turnaround with the season-defining outing against Ulster in Belfast on Friday night.

This may be the Rugby Champions Cup’s inaugural season, but the feeling this weekend, as the two semi-finals are contested on French soil, is one of familiarity, given the identities of the four clubs involved.

With their Champions Cup semi-final against Toulon now just six days away, anticipation is building around the Leinster camp as they bid to reach their fourth top-tier European decider in just seven seasons.

Here are 10 of our favourite places to buy cake in the French capital, Paris.

Toulon enjoyed the ideal preparation for their Heineken Cup semi-final with Munster with a 46-31 win over Perpignan in the Top 14.

New Zealand 30 France 0

France 23 Scotland 16

Fourth in the table, one victory from four games and safety from the wooden spoon is not yet guaranteed. It has hardly been a Six Nations to savour for Declan Kidney’s men but tomorrow’s meeting with fifth place Italy is far from a dead rubber, not least because it could be the last time we see Ireland’s greatest ever player take to the field in a green jersey.

Ireland 13 France 13

Deflated Ireland captain Jamie Heaslip has refused to criticise the decision not to award Ireland a potential match-winning penalty late on today.

Ireland 13 France 13

For a team that has lost all three matches in this year’s Six Nations, the French have been remarkably positive as they prepare for what is undoubtedly going to be another bruising encounter against Ireland in Dublin this afternoon.

The mood in France has been very optimistic this week. It’s almost a polar opposite of the build up to the England game when all the talk was doom and gloom.

France head coach Philippe Saint-Andre will abandon tradition and gladly settle for the most tedious of victories against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

France head coach Philippe Saint-André has dropped Francois Trinh-Duc for Saturday’s meeting with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium with the unpredictable Freddie Michalak returning to the number 10 jersey.

England 23 France 13

Alex Goode believes the superb conditioning evident during England’s RBS 6 Nations is a product of the frequently-maligned Aviva Premiership.

France 6 Wales 16

France 6 Wales 16

Italy 23 France 18

Will cautious Philippe Saint-Andre let multi-talented backline express themselves?

IN A week when we all became more knowledgeable about French rugby in the wake of Jonny Sexton’s big move to Racing Metro, pressure continues to mount on national coach Philippe Saint-André to win the Six Nations with what is regarded as the strongest squad in the competition.

Toulon 62 Sale 0

France 33 Australia 6

Frederic Michalak was today retained at fly-half for France as coach Philippe Saint-Andre made several changes ahead of Saturday’s clash with Australia in Paris.

Frederic Michalak has been named in France’s squad for their two-match tour of Argentina next month.

Former France international Sebastien Chabal has confirmed he will move to Australia to play Super Rugby in the coming weeks.

England 32 Barbarians 38

FRANCE utility back Frederic Michalak will have surgery today after suffering a knee injury last weekend which could keep him out for a year.

France have called Dimitri Yachvili into their squad for the RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy after Frederic Michalak was forced out by a knee injury.

IRELAND have been handed the keys to unlocking the Welsh defence from the unlikely source of a Yorkshireman working in France.

FRANCE coach Marc Lièvremont was reluctant to talk up comeback king Mathieu Bastareaud ahead of Ireland’s forthcoming trip to Paris, despite the Stade Francais man announcing his return to the international stage with a brace of tries yesterday.

Jean-Baptiste Elissalde has been forced to pull out of France’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Scotland at Murrayfield and will be replaced by Toulouse team-mate Frederic Michalak.

SALE director of rugby Kingsley Jones felt poor discipline had cost his side victory against Toulouse at Edgeley Park.

Sale 13 Toulouse 19

Controversial centre Mathieu Bastareaud has been recalled to the France squad for the 2010 RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Toulouse 23 Cardiff Blues 7

Cardiff Blues 15 Toulouse 9

Harlequins 19 Toulouse 23

BYRON KELLEHER admits Toulouse are still smarting from their 2008 Heineken Cup defeat to Munster as they chase a fourth European title.