France's coach Bernard Laporte talks about revenge with a smile on his lips.
His side, he says, will be out to right a 79-year wrong tonight when they play the United States.
The Americans' only success against the French in five meetings was a 17-3 victory in the 1924 Olympic Games final
in Paris - the last time rugby union was an Olympic sport.
"Just think, we could be the reigning Olympic champions." Laporte said. "We really want to take our revenge."
In fact, France go into their last group B outing, a match "without consequence," with a second-string side.
But Laporte quickly added that the United States were a side to be taken seriously.
"We fully respect our opponents, but we have won our first three pool matches, we are top of our group and have secured our place in the quarter-finals.
"Their backrow forwards are really powerful players. Their first five-eighth [Mike Hercus] is a very good goalkicker and a good playmaker. No 13 [Phillip Eloff] is a high-level centre."
"They play a structured, direct and powerful game. They only lost by a point to Fiji, they gave a big fright to Scotland, they beat Japan."
American Tom Billups is also aware of 1924. "It is an important part of our rugby history in the United States, but this French team is cut from a different cloth."
- REUTERS
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