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PARIS - Two defeats, including a 47-3 hammering by the All Blacks, and a tight 27-26 win over Argentina have brought Six Nations champions France down to Earth during the November series of rugby internationals.
"The first New Zealand test was sheer humiliation, the second was a resurrection, the Pumas test was a confirmation," said wing Cedric Heymans, who scored France's only try against the All Blacks in two matches.
Coach Bernard Laporte admitted he had mixed feelings. "It's like the curate's egg," he said.
"Two defeats and a win don't make a good balance sheet but I shall remember above all the second test against the All Blacks, which was interesting and encouraging."
France went into the series convinced they could match the All Blacks and determined to stay unbeaten at home to mark their territory less than a year before hosting the World Cup.
The first test against New Zealand was devastating with seven unanswered tries and a French record margin for a home defeat.
"I was dejected but then I realised that it had been a no-game," Laporte said. "The team that played in Lyon was not the French team.
"The players went into hiding after 20 minutes."
In the following week, Laporte called his players to "revolt against the supremacy of the All Blacks and against themselves".
France still lost but a 23-11 defeat was more respectable as they conceded only two tries and scored one. "The players showed character," said Laporte.
The last test against Argentina helped the French to end the tour and the year on a positive note.
They brought their Pumas jinx to an end, beating them for the first time in five games since June 2002 in a Stade de France dress rehearsal for the World Cup opening game.
They scored three tries and were leading 27-9 after an hour, only to subside and let Argentina stage a remarkable comeback.
"I thought we were about to give them a good thrashing but at the end we nearly died from anguish," said team manager Jo Maso.
Laporte said work would start in February when he would have 40 players at his disposal during the seven weeks of the Six Nations.
The French championship will be suspended to help the national team prepare for the World Cup.
- REUTERS
