Rugby World Cup 2015: Pool D profile – the enigma of France

Four years ago, France lost by a single point to New Zealand in front of the All Blacks' home crowd in the final at Auckland's Eden Park. The fact they made the final was an achievement in itself; that they ran the All Blacks so close was remarkable.

That said, the defeat made it the most unwanted of hat-tricks, as Les Bleus fell just short of winning the Webb Ellis Cup for a third time. Typically, you never know what you're going to get with the French side. Dazzling and dynamic on the one hand, sporadic and frustrating on the other, they're the kind of enigmatic team that other sides will want to avoid particularly if they build confidence and momentum in their pool matches that begin with a clash against Italy at Twickenham.

Star man: Thierry Dusautoir

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

At 6ft 2ins and 16st 5lb, France's Ivory Coast-born captain is an icon, but he isn't the force he was and in recent seasons he's becoming increasingly injury prone. Yet if the Toulouse flanker stays fit he'll be rallying point for this French side that, on its day, is a match for anyone.

One to watch: Wesley Fofana

The most gifted centre in Europe, Fofana grew up in Paris and was a footballer for much of his youth. Since turning to rugby he's demonstrated a rare set of skills, combining pace with strength and brilliant footwork. Given the space he could create chaos in opposition defences.

Coach: Phillipe Saint-Andre

One of France's finest ever wingers, Phillipe Saint-Andre (aka PSA) took over the French national side in 2011 having enjoyed spells in charge of Sale Sharks and Gloucester. Since then he has presided over four years of rank mediocrity during when France haven't finished higher than fourth in the Six Nations. But there have been glimpses over the summer that PSA has managed to bring some semblance of cohesion and coherence to Les Bleus, and their 25-20 victory over England in Paris last month will be the fillip to fill France with confidence for the weeks ahead.