Bludgeon first, flair later for new French supremo Noves

If Guy Noves has a grand plan to restore France to former glories, than the former Toulouse supremo is implementing one step and one game at a time.

The 62-year-old architect of four Heineken Cups for Toulouse has been charged with designing a French revival after a World Cup quarter-final hammering by New Zealand last October and a miserable Six Nations record under his predecessor as national head coach Philippe Saint-Andre presided over three fourth places and the previously unthinkable, a wooden spoon in 2013.

In Noves's first game, against Italy, after just two weeks of training together with his squad, it appeared that winning was all that mattered and that proved more demanding they anyone anticipated as France huffed and puffed to a 23-21 victory, down as much to Italy captain Sergio Parisse's last minute drop goal miss as it was to a monster Jules Plisson penalty just before it.