Mike Averis
If it is true that France are at their best when their backs are to the wall, then Italy should be braced for a torrid time when the last round of Six Nations matches kicks off at the Stadio Flaminio today.
All week the hurt of losing at Twickenham last Sunday and conceding four tries by half-time has haunted the French camp. Players have lined up to admit their sins and do penance, though none has come close to the most recent outpourings from the winger Cédric Heymans.
Just before leaving for Rome the 30-year-old from Toulouse described the 34-10 defeat as the worst of his career before warming to his task: "The most difficult thing is this feeling of powerlessness, of shame. It was unbelievable ... We realise we have been ridiculed."
This is passionate stuff and no doubt the French will let rip today against a side which has already landed the wooden spoon. However, when the dust settles on the season, those in control of French rugby will no doubt take a moment to ponder how far two seasons with Marc Lièvremont in charge have taken them.
The young coach was clearly given licence to use the four years of his contract to produce a team capable of winning the World Cup in 2001 but his honeymoon with the French media ended long ago and the coach's more quixotic selections – like Sébastien Chabal playing openside flanker last Saturday – are increasingly questioned.
This week Lièvremont has made four more changes. Two of the more promising 2011 candidates, the Clermont wing Julien Malzieu and the powerhouse Stade centre Mathieu Bastareaud, join the second-row Jérôme Thion, recalled from the wilderness to face England, on the bench, while Lionel Faure of Sale vanishes from the squad completely. Damien Traille plays at full-back, Florian Fritz returns at centre and the forwards Julien Bonnaire and Fabien Barcella are also recalled. And there is a rare sighting (on the bench) of Frédéric Michalak.
Defeat would certainly throw the cat among the pigeons but that is highly unlikely. Italy were spirited against Wales last time out but in four games they have conceded 120 points while scoring only one try. With the rolling maul seemingly a thing of history, the raft of experimental laws might have been specifically designed to do the Italians down and, when the season is reviewed, their coach, Nick Mallett, will have to provide answers, especially to the question of his selection of Mauro Bergamasco at scrum-half against England.
