France need to regain their Gallic flair
While France have kicked their way to two successive victories with just one scrappy try to show for their endeavours, it has been Wales who have displayed the Gallic flair with victories over world champions England and then Italy, raising hopes of a first Grand Slam since 1978.
France coach Bernard Laporte has been the subject of serious criticism from the press, former players and coaches and while he has responded to one attack with an unprintable remark, France manager Jo Maso has countered by saying the critics were actually helping the team.
"The criticism doesn't hurt us, they give us a boost," said 60-year-old Maso.
"There has always been criticism of French teams. It was the same thing during the eight years I was a member of the team," said the former centre.
Laporte has moved to improve the flair area by dropping the under-achieving South African-born centre Brian Liebenberg for France's player of the year for 2004 Yannick Jauzion, who reforms his Grand Slam winning partnership with Damien Traille.
However, he has opted for a risky gamble at fullback blooding for the first time the untested talents of Julien Laharrague, who normally plays winger for his club Brive.
Laharrague, who says he has stopped clowning around and is more mature, should add a bit of vibrancy to the back line where Pepito Elhorga crowned two poor displays by throwing the ball deliberately into touch when under pressure from two England players a fortnight ago.
However even his selection carries a health warning from Maso.
"Maybe he will make some errors but we have a lot of faith in him."
There is still no place for the mercurial talent of Toulouse's Frederic Michalak as the ponderous Yann Delaigue retains his place, though Laporte believes that is the right way to go.
"Yann gives us calmness and that eases the pressure on Frederic, who brings a lot to the team when he comes on," said Laporte.
Laporte, though, is well aware of the task facing his troops.
"Wales have four or five excellent backs. However what is important for us is what we do.
"We have to be ourselves and to put as much pressure on the opponents as possible and then use the ball when we get it."
However Wales too are not displaying overconfidence despite playing some magnificent rugby during their opening two matches against England and Italy.
Coach Mike Ruddock has warned his team not to underestimate what he believes is the strongest team the French have put out in this year's championship.
"We had a great first half against England, perhaps we should have scored a couple of more points, then hit a flat spot just after half-time and let them into the game a little bit.
"And in the last quarter against Italy, we hit a flat spot and gave away five penalties. We've got to try and get those flat spots out of our game.
"We've got away with it so far, but against a side like France, if we start giving them penalties, we could be in trouble," added Ruddock, doubtlessly thinking of France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili's six successful penalties against England.
Ruddock admits that they have not spoken about the Grand Slam or the Triple Crown but thinks, that should France perform poorly in the first-half then the Welsh could benefit from the notoriously temperamental French crowd turning on them as they did in the match against Scotland.
"Even though they won their first two games, they've got such high standards that people perhaps want to see total rugby from them as well.
"If we can take the game to them, then we could create that home disadvantage phenomenon, rather than the home advantage one they have at the moment."
Even, though Maso may think the criticism has boosted morale, that could all change if the crowd get on their backs. They may not mind losing so long as the flair factor returned just as the crowds in the Colosseum wanted good gladiatorial fights, but to go down flatly could signal the beginning of the end for Laporte and his reign as French coach.
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