Rugby: Don't rule out the French - Mannix

France were humiliated 59-16 by Australia last month. Photo / Getty Images

The debate rages on across France. Just 10 months before the Rugby World Cup, is the national team a lost cause?

Or was the 16-59 humiliation by Australia in Paris last month some kind of freak horror show, something unrepresentative of French rugby?

For New Zealand minds, it might be nice to think otherwise. But a Kiwi inside French rugby has no doubts as to the true situation.

Simon Mannix is assistant coach to Pierre Berbizier at Racing Metro, the increasingly wealthy and influential Paris-based club. Mannix watched the French demise against Australia and is clear in his mind as to the realities.

Had he been surprised by such an abject French capitulation?

"I wasn't surprised at all. You've got to remember that Australia are probably the second best team in the world currently, an exceptionally talented team and France were playing without a first string backline. And that's where they got exposed in the last 35 minutes."

But since that night, there has been much talk and argument within French rugby circles as to whether the players are really there to form a credible World Cup team. Mannix scoffs at the suggestion.

"Oh, they have more than enough players in France. You're missing a number 10, you're missing a 12, you're missing a 13, you're missing a fullback, you're missing wingers. You won't see those guys at the World Cup.

"People are going to say there are big problems in French rugby. But there's more talent in French rugby than there is in a lot of other countries but it's just a case of them harnessing it right. We know very well with the French that one day can happen such as that.

"Next week, they'll go out and beat the best team in the world so I wouldn't read too much into last month's performance. Without a doubt, they'd certainly be in my top 5 for next year."

And then there's the northern hemisphere grounds in mid-winter which can be such an impediment to embracing truly the modern game made possible by the new law interpretations.

One week after France had been thrashed by the Wallabies, Mannix's club Racing met Stade Francais in the Paris derby. One hour before kick-off, no-one knew whether it would be played due to a heavy snowfall in Paris that morning. In the end, with the lines cleared of snow but a lot of the remainder of the field still white, the game started - in bitter, freezing temperatures.

It was a shambles, littered with elementary errors and poor play. Wasn't that the ultimate condemnation of the lack of skills in modern day French players, Mannix was asked?

"The conditions dictated everything so that just killed the game. We've got a backline more than capable of creating problems but in today's conditions, you just couldn't play. That field was extremely heavy, there was wind, zero degrees, snow on the ground beforehand. You're not going to see great running rugby. And then you fall into the hands of the referee. And in France we know that is always a delicate point."

Meaning they're not consistent enough, not clear enough?

Mannix was wearing his diplomatic hat. "Well it's always the same problem all over the world. Consistency is what anybody wants, as a player and as a coach. Our Championship's no different from anyone else's. We've got good quality referees, however, we'd just like to see a little bit more consistency in the refereeing of the new rules."