Six Nations 2002 - France

How the home nations loved it for the last two seasons as France performedwith all efficiency and style of a beaten up Citroen.

It couldn't last though andsure enough coach Bernard Laporte pensioned off a few old bangers andintroduced some sleek but untried models. Wales talk hopefully about promising youngsters turning their fortunes around, but you should see theseFrench boys. Gallic flair is reborn.

The first shoots of recovery began ontheir summer tour to South Africa and New Zealand but really blossomed inthe Autumn internationals when they also laid their losing bogey at theStade de France. Centres Damien Traille (already being talked in the samebreath as Patrick Sella) and New Zealand-born Tony Marsh made their debutsin win over the Springboks and then 19-year-old Frederik Michalak pulledthe strings against the Aussies.

Clement Poitrenaud was a revelation atfull back and Aurelien Rougerie was compared to Johah Lomu. Remember thesenames, although Poitrenaud will miss the Italy game with a shoulder injury.

Scrum half Fabien Galthie has matured as captain and Laporte will have hisformer skipper, Fabien Pelous, back after injury ruled him out of theautumn internationals. Flanker Olivier Magne is still capable of turninga game on its head and the French pack is very mobile. They take the ball upwell and are effective at the line-out.

Laporte sees this Six Nations as astepping stone to the World Cup for his team. Expect them to run all oversome of the opposition and the clash in Paris with England already has themakings of a title decider.