SCRUM Magazine – September 2019

1987: Runner-Up

1991: Quarter Final

1995: Third Place

1999: Runner-Up

2003: Fourth Place

2007: Fourth Place

2011: Runner-Up

2015: Quarter Final

ENIGMATIC FRANCE LOOKING TO

SHINE ON WORLD STAGE AGAIN

rench rugby is a funny beast.
Just as capable of wondrous
comeback victories as they are
of complete capitulation, France are often
the biggest obstacle between themselves
and victory on the rugby pitch.
But while choruses of ‘you never know
which French side will turn up’ often
surround any discussion about h ow the
national side might fare, it is no longer a
helpful cliché.
Unfortunately for French rugby fans,
France have consistently performed
below their potential for the best part of
two years. Under Head Coach Jacques
Brunel, and Guy Noves before him, the
national side have struggled to find their
feet, and they have only won a miserable
five out of their last 16 games.

Last year, they suffered their first ever

loss to Fiji in the Autumn internationals

• a result which caused long-time
  international Mathieu Bastareaud to
  loudly proclaim that the team were
  ‘nothing’ - before going on to have a
  patchy Guinness Six Nations, in which
  they came seriously unstuck against
  England.
  What’s more, Brunel has left several big
  names out of his 31-man World Cup
  squad, with the omissions of Bastareaud,
  Morgan Parra and Teddy Thomas some of
  the most glaring. During a lengthy
  campaign like the World Cup, the
  leadership of the likes of Bastareaud and
  Parra especially could be sorely missed.
  But all that being said, France have an
  excellent World Cup pedigree.

Les Blues have advanced into the

knockout stages of all eight of the

previous World Cups, and while they

have never lifted the trophy themselves,

they’ve reached three of the competition’s

finals.

They also have an uncanny knack for

producing an upset - their 1999 comeback

victory against the All Blacks is still

renowned as one of rugby’s biggest

surprises, and they have the joint best

record against the world number ones at

the World Cup.

Combine this history of World Cup

success with some mercurial youngsters

who play without fear and it’s hard to

write off France entirely.

F

FRANCE

COACH:

JACQUES BRUNEL

RUGBY WORLD CUP - TOP 10

44 • WWW.SCRUMMAGAZINE.COM • ISSUE 116 2019