You can't fool us, Bernard

Remember - this was their first game. What a joke!

Laporte then had the audacity to discipline the lock by not playing him against Wales a fortnight later, and told anyone who was listening that France were stamping out violence. Interestingly, both Magne and Auradou magically reappear in French colours on Saturday against England, having missed the Welsh game. Big deal.

What a sacrifice it is to miss a game against Wales these days.

France have felt quite strongly that over the past decade there has been a conspiracy against their players by other countries' referees, and that is why they have had more players sent off than any other northern hemisphere team.

This procession of French players to the dressing rooms for an early bath does not just stop at international level. Statistics in the European club competitions - the Heineken Cup and the Parker Pen Shield - also show that more French clubs have had players sent off than any other nation.

Perhaps the conspiracy theory can be stretched down another level?

There is no doubt there is a fine line between hard, physical play and violence in a contact sport.

Kicking, punching and headbutting, which form the basis of sending-off offences in rugby union, have no place in the sport.

But in French club matches they are still very much in evidence - even though the game has been professional for seven years.

So why has Laporte stood up and protested until he's blue in the face that France are cleaning up their act?

Is this some massive con job? That France will send out a team on Saturday whose PR campaign has been all about schoolboy discipline - and then, from the first whistle, climb into England with a ferocity that will put them off their game? The frightening thing about French teams is they contain so much talent and so many good players that if they just got on with the game, they could be ranked No1 in the world instead of England.

This current French team is no different. The backs are very special and if they turn it on, and it's a big if, England will be on the ropes and another Grand Slam might go down the pan.

Maybe all the talk about violence is a diversion. Maybe France will turn it on. Maybe the leopard will change its spots.

Dick Best is a former England Grand Slam-winning coach