Galthie confident France will ‘soar like birds’

FABIEN GALTHIE is renowned for philosophical musings on the enigma that is French rugby, but the scrum-half and captain is taking a thoroughly positive view to his side’s quarter-final clash with Ireland on Sunday.

Some years back, the 62-times capped number nine was asked to impart his wisdom on why the French could make New Zealand look decidedly average one day before crumbling to far lesser opposition the very next.

"Sometimes, France have the capacity to beat any team in the world," the Stade Francais player replied at the time. "We soar with the birds ... and sometimes we are just complete shit. When we wake up we never know which it will be but it doesn't worry me any more."