French determined to put worst week behind them with Welsh win

IT’S been a week the French will want to forget. Vilified in the press, ashamed to walk down the streets and bubbling with tension since their shock loss to Italy last week.

They’re determined to make up for it against Wales. Maxime Medard admitted after the Italian loss “if I had a rope I would kill myself”.

“I did not find the rope,” he said with a smile.

“There was no need to hide. If we start to drop our heads things will not improve. I know what I did well and what I did badly in Rome. My first kick was not good and in certain situations I ran out of ideas.”

France coach Marc Lievremont was scathing in his assessment of his team’s display against Italy, accusing them of “cowardice”.

The ferocity of the attack surprised many but captain Thierry Dusautoir believes it was justified.

“After having been guilty of producing so little in the match, even being unable to do the basics, we have to accept the lecture he (Lievremont) gave,” said Dusautoir.

“His reaction was legitimate given how we had played. Victory would allow us to finish the tournament on a high note.”

But in James Hook they will face a player getting a reputed £1m (€1,145,910) to sign for Perpignan. And he’s hoping to continue his recent run of good form.

“I was quite pleased with my game against Ireland last weekend,” he said.

“I know there has been talk about all the kicking, but it was all about getting the result and we did that.”

FRANCE: M Medard (Toulouse); V Clerc (Toulouse), D Marty (Perpignan), D Traille (Biarritz), A Palisson (Brive); F Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), M Parra (Clermont Auvergne); T Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), W Servat (Toulouse), N Mas (Perpignan), J Pierre (Clermont Auvergne), L Nallet (Racing Metro), T Dusautoir (Toulouse, capt), J Bonnaire (Clermont Auvergne), I Harinordoquy (Biarritz).

Replacements: G Guirado (Perpignan), L Ducalon (Castres), P Pape (Stade Francais), A Lapandry (Clermont Auvergne), J Tomas (Montpellier), F Estebanez (Brive), Y Huget (Bayonne).

WALES: L Byrne (Ospreys); L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), J Davies (Scarlets), G North (Scarlets); J Hook (Ospreys), M Phillips (Ospreys); P James (Ospreys), M Rees (Scarlets, capt), A Jones (Ospreys), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), A-W Jones (Ospreys), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues), R Jones (Ospreys).

Replacements: R Hibbard (Ospreys), J Yapp (Cardiff Blues), J Thomas (Ospreys), R McCusker (Scarlets), D Peel (Sale Sharks), S Jones (Scarlets), M Stoddart (Scarlets).