The French rugby team has cut out and posted up all the predictions that they will lose the Rugby World Cup final around the living room of their hotel as they prepare to show the knockers they are wrong.
After mounting criticism from local and international press, the French team
is taking an "us against the world" approach to the Rugby World Cup final this weekend.
Pierrick Taisne of RMC Sport has painted a grim picture for the French team.
"Vilified, mocked and humiliated, our little French 'coqs' are alone, alone at the other end of the world. Alone against all," he wrote.
"In the living room of their hotel, the players have also posted all the little phrases drawn here and there from both the New Zealand and the international press repetitively mocking the Blues.
"Within the collection, the comments of Francois Pienaar, world champion in 1995 with South Africa, and Chris Ashton, eliminated by France in the quarterfinals of the competition, are present."
Taisne said that Morgan Parra has been reading internet forums too, and quotes Lievremont saying "the word of the people is not any more lenient than that of the press."
Eurosport reported that Philippe Bernat-Salles, a former French winger and current Chairman of the National Handball League, commented on the criticism of the French: "It is always easy to criticise with your ass on the couch".
Despite the despair, Canal+'s Yann Delaigue, a former French first five-eighth, has boldly predicted a 23-20 victory for France.He wrote for Sports.fr:
"We are a team which... can reverse the trend and defeat the odds, and since we have a Latin temperament we are filled with pride. And we have talented players able to surprise everyone, even in the World Cup final."
Delaigue wrote that every world cup, France has a "match of their lives". They are yet to have their one oustanding game of the tournament, he argued, and also offered a simple solution to beating the All Blacks: "We have quality players. Now, all they need to do is play at 120 per cent, at the same time, for the whole game".
Sébastien Chabal has urged French supporters to get in behind their team in white. The famous 'Allez les Bleus' chant has been slightly modified:
"We need to practice [saying] Allez les Blancs! Allez les Blancs! Allez les Blancs! Allez les Blancs! Allez les Blancs! Allez les Blancs!"
Eurosport points out that Vincent Clerc is still in the running to becoming the World Cup's top try scorer, but the player "does not want to be distracted by a personal goal".
"He currently shares the top spot with English winger Chris Ashton. However, he is wary because New Zealand fullback Israel Dagg (5 tries), back rower Jerome Kaino, winger Richard Kahui and versatile Sonny Bill Williams (4 tries each) are not far behind in the leader board."
Kaino, part of a "formidable" trio alongside Richie McCaw and Kieran Read, is the All Blacks' "silver bullet", according to L'Equipe writer Bertrand Lagacherie.
"The clash with the French trio could well decide the winner of the finals."
