Poitrenaud asks for time

Clement Poitrenaud has called on France’s critics to give the team more time to adapt to their new ambitious approach.

Les Bleus’ laboured 22-13 win over Scotland yesterday in the second round of RBS 6 Nations fixtures allowed them to avenge their opening-weekend loss to Ireland in Dublin, yet head coach Marc Lievremont still cut a frustrated figure after the match.

The French had enough in their locker to edge past Frank Hadden’s brave but limited side, Fulgence Ouedraogo scoring their try and Lionel Beauxis kicking 17 points.

But there was no rhythm to their display and they made error after error, especially in the first half. Indeed, the Scots made the more incisive breaks throughout only for their finishing to let them down.

In the eight-year reign of Bernard Laporte, Lievremont’s predecessor, France were an uninspiring but successful outfit, winning four Six Nations titles and reaching two World Cup semi-finals.

Lievremont is attempting to change the team’s philosophy by bringing back some of the old-fashioned French flair, but the players are struggling to meet the demands of their new coach and many are wondering if it is the right way to go forward.

Poitrenaud, like Lievremont, is convinced it is, however, and is asking for time and patience.

“In the Bernard Laporte era, we didn’t play much but when we won matches, nobody could find a fault with it,” said the Toulouse number 15, who was unconvincing yesterday.

“Now we have the ambition to practise ambitious rugby and you have to give us some time. And there is also the reality of competition.

“Therefore you have to put some things to one side in order to win and get some confidence. We are doing that and we knew how to do it here.

“We are a team in construction and we are trying, but we are caught between wanting to do things and not wanting to expose ourselves too much so we can win. It isn’t easy.”

Captain Lionel Nallet has admitted France are playing a completely different game to that practised by teams in the Top 14, and that some players are finding it hard to adapt.

Unfortunately time is not on France’s side, with matches coming thick and fast in the Six Nations, and they are in danger of encountering frustration for the rest of the tournament as they attempt to settle on their new style.

“We have to find this equilibrium,” Poitrenaud added.

“We are a little bit reserved because we know we can do better, that we must do better and that we have to go one better to beat teams of another calibre.”

Les Bleus never looked like losing against Scotland at the Stade de France even though they went into the interval with just a three-point cushion at 6-3.

They dominated the early stages of the second half, with Ouedraogo’s try - disputed by the visitors because Maxime Medard’s pass to the flanker appeared slightly forward – and two Beauxis penalties allowing them to pull clear.

Scotland, though, reduced the deficit to 19-13 with a converted Thom Evans try and the French needed another penalty from Beauxis to calm any nerves in the final 10 minutes.

As has been the case in every game since the first November Test, Lievremont looked a frustrated man in the after-match press conference, knowing his team can perform so much better.

“We put ourselves under a lot of pressure during the week and technically there were a lot of mistakes,” admitted Poitrenaud.

“We have kept the essentials of a strong defence and scrum but we haven’t been able to exploit the good positions we created in attack.

“I hope we can free ourselves to find the right middle ground between our inefficiency of Croke Park and the limited play we practised here, even though we won.”

France’s next Six Nations match is against reigning champions Wales in Paris a week on Friday.

Perpignan prop Nicolas Mas could be a doubt for that after he was withdrawn at half-time against the Scots with an adductor problem.