World Ranking: 6.

COACH: Jean-Claude Skrela. Has been under pressure since Thomas Castaignede limped off against Scotland in their last Five Nations Championship match and France ended the season with the wooden spoon. Capped 46 times, the former player has lurched from crisis to crisis with the team ever since. Embarking on a tour to the Pacific over the summer simply added to his woes as his side went down to Tonga and finally 54-7 to New Zealand, their worst score ever. Skrela, however, is not a man to panic and unafraid to experiment.

TACTICAL TURN: Rock hard, craggy forwards and a backline that runs with flair and inventiveness. Unfortunately, not much of that has been offered by France in recent months. Team morale has been at an all-time low and that's where Skrela will begin. Plenty of stylish and talented players to lift the team but it must come from within. Having been in a special training camp since August 2nd, don't expect to see the fragmented and under-achieving team that struggled through the Five Nations.

STAR TURN: Emile N'tamack. Dynamic and creative, N'tamack is one of the most dangerous wingers or full backs in the world. His pace and balance combined with a natural composure will terrify any defence in the competition. French hopes could rest on his quixotic brilliance and that of Thomas Castaignede. Although he has struggled to find any real consistency in 1999, the World Cup is the sort of stage that could bring out his best.

VERDICT: Who can tell? A terrible Five Nations followed by a depressing tour to the Pacific have left the team with only one way to go. They will rely heavily on winning their first match against Canada in order to establish morale in the side. Going through a hellish period with questions being asked, primarily about the pack and second row, but too much quality to be washed out before the quarter-finals. Then, who knows?

FINAL THOUGHTS: "Now isn't the time to be depressed, it's time to react."

- Jean-Claude Skrela (French coach).