Defeat is unthinkable to the French

'Rendez-vous samedi,' said my neighbour as he wheeled his six-month old son to the baby minder this morning. 'Samedi - le grand jour,' chimed in the road-sweeper as he brushed autumn leaves off the pavement with his green broomstick.

And in French eyes, Saturday will indeed be a great day - a day of revenge against an old enemy on the road to paradise.

After last weekend's victory against the All Blacks, there is a pervasive belief amongst French sports fans that the World Cup is theirs.

Bernard Laporte and Jo Maso, the French managers, have sought to caution against over-confidence and keep their team focused on the semi-final against England - a match which they both say is wide open.

Some commentators have issued similar warnings. Richard Place, rugby correspondent for the state-owned France Info radio, for instance, reminded his listeners that English teams were 'perfidious and cynical'.

He recalled that les Anglais had defeated France in the 2003 semi-final and that they had devised what he said was a 'Machaevellian plot' to stop Serge Blanco in the 1991 quarter final.

But to the wider public, such words have been lost amid euphoria comparable only to the emotion generated by Zinedine Zidane's 1998 World Cup winning football team.

The French players have become heroes and even icons to a country yearning for a good reason to put aside economic woes and a national identity crisis caused by globalisation.

You can sense the optimism surging from bistros to the métro amid a conviction that if New Zealand were defeated, 'l'Angleterre' will meet the same fate.

Everyone with the remotest interest in rugby - which is almost everyone in France now - is anticipating concerts of car horns and dancing in the streets to celebrate 'une victoire' on Saturday.

And, of course, more concerts and more dancing after the final.

But what if the dream turns into a nightmare and England emerge victorious?

'Non, c'est pas possible,' said the road-sweeper.

Adam Sage is a Times correspondent in Paris

Comments

[jd]

I think the match will be fantastic with a happy end for french people !!!!!!!!!!!

ALLEZ LES BLEUS !!!!!!!!!

[jd]

ALLEZ LES BLEUS !!!!!

[kiwikid]

Lets wait until after the weekend and see how much bleating goes on about Kaplan

[David Pilkington]

Has everybody in Paris forgotten that South Africa are still in this world cup?

[Kiwikid]

Go the French.
I dont care you beat us by whatever means possible. Your strategy worked and maybe we have to get a bit more shrewd in future?
After reading the English press all I hope for now is you beat the English by 40 points

[Pascal]

No, the French are not cocky ! Here's the proof, with the new version of the now famous Fraka (french haka) :

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EeGRjTIi3lc

[M Graham]

It's going to be a fantastic contest between two great sporting rivals. As an England supporter I will be very disappointed if England lose, of course. But France is a great country and they have organised and hosted a wonderful tournament so far. I also admire the guts their team showed against the All Blacks and had the pleasure of watching their last game in the company of some fervent but polite French fans in Singapore. If, God forbid, they also defeat England I will happily cheer for France in the Final!

[Marc]

I agree with Pierre, we know it is going to be very difficult on saturday but it is going to be a hell of a match. We had noticed that England was "le champion en titre" et that you had just beaten Australia. Are you saying that french people are stupid ?
England is the world champion (for the moment), France is not that bad... Enjoy !
So "arrêtez de mettre de l'huile sur le feu" et pour ma part "Allez les beus".

[Pierre]

Richard Place's quote does not reflect the tone in the french medias (much less inclined to english bashing than some of their british counterparts) before the old crunch on saturday. Confidence there is, but anyone who knows just a little bit about rugby would avoid arrogance and consider the threats of players like Shaw, Wilkinson or Robinson. Frecnh have had their share of douches froides, not to mention the recents "douches écossaises" in football.
Yet there is a feeling of superior potential in the backs and on the bench. But the Blacks felt the same did they not?
So if they have not left all physical and mental strengths in the battle of Cardiff like they had in 1987, if they do not party too early like they did in 1999, if they do not have to play against the referee (and history) like in 1995, if the weather is not totally english like in 2003, and if they can keep to the same standard of discipline they had this year long, then Les Bleus are armed to reach the final. It makes a lot of "if" however.
BTW, Blanco really was at least unfairly and probably cynically targeted in 1991.