French star Elissalde makes case for the defence
Under former head coach Bernard Laporte, France were a solid, compact unit but they often failed to display the dynamism traditional to Les Bleus down the years.
New coach Lievremont has vowed to make his side more enterprising and attacking, but it was France’s defence that was the stand-out success in their opening RBS Six Nations Championship match last weekend.
They conceded just one penalty and a drop goal as they eased to a convincing 27-6 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield.
France managed three tries through wingers Vincent Clerc (two) and Julien Malzieu, but Elissalde felt it was in the darker arts that his team deserved more praise.
“In Scotland, we only conceded six points from the boot and no tries,” said the Toulouse number nine.
“We had a decent defence, while we were good at the breakdown and lost just one line-out.
“Of the three tries we scored, two were a bit fortunate but luck smiles on you when you have a go.
“But the bases were there. Whether you play for Toulouse, La Rochelle, Biarritz or wherever, the base you need is your defence.
“At Toulouse, we try so hard to keep possession and pass the ball around. However, we hammer home week after week that it is defence that is important.
“And it is the same with France.”
It will be a confident but wary France side that steps out at the Stade de France today.
Despite all the changes Lievremont has made since coming in as coach at the end of October, the team for this weekend looks familiar.
The entire back-line played in the World Cup and the return of back-row forward Julien Bonnaire and prop Nicolas Mas to the pack means there is more experience now among the forwards.
A gung-ho attitude against an Ireland side, who despite their recent struggles are still held in high regard by the French, is not therefore expected.
“We have to be intelligent,” said winger Clerc, who will look to build on his man-of-the-match showing against the Scots.
“We will not do everything with the ball in hand. We must give ourselves the means to create the danger. If we have to kick 10 times in a row to occupy territory, then so be it.
“We have to make good choices, and it is the half-backs who have the keys to that. Then it’s up to us to adapt.
“But Ireland remain very dangerous.”
It will be Les Bleus’ first game at the Stade de France since their heartbreaking World Cup semi-final defeat to England in October.
France famously lost their nerve that night in a match they should have won, but Clerc is confident the crowd will be fully behind the team four months on.
“The public have always been there for us,” he said.
“They were there for us during the World Cup. The taste for rugby which they had during that competition must continue.
“And there is always an added atmosphere to these games when it is the Six Nations.”
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