A humiliating 41-13 defeat by Argentina has left France’s players unable to explain how they could have fallen from Six Nations heros to touring zeros.
In March, the French completed an impressive Grand Slam and last month two French clubs – Toulouse and Biarritz – took part in the European Cup final.
But a short tour to South Africa and Argentina saw them slumping to record defeats in the two Tests in Cape Town – where they lost 42-17 a fortnight ago – and here.
Going into Saturday’s Test, coach Marc Lievremont had admitted the players were tired from a long season but that they would “do the business” when the game began.
Instead, it was the worst defeat since he took over in January 2008.
“After such a setback, it is difficult to find explanations on the spot,” said France captain Thierry Dusautoir.
“It is ridiculous. But it is our level today, unfortunately. For a team that has ambitions to win the World Cup (in 2011), it is going to be very difficult to get back up again.”
The defeat to the Springboks in the Cape has been overshadowed by this latest catastrophe which saw the French game disintegrate in every department.
“We are ashamed to be going into the history books as the French team that shipped 40 points in South Africa and 40 points in Argentina,” said prop Fabien Barcella.
“That is 80 points in two matches, the statistic is quite clear. We certainly didn’t perform to our capability.”
Lievremont has called it the “tour for nothing” and there is a sense of waste that France have not moved forward at all in the three months since winning the Six Nations.
“Perhaps we relied a little on the impetus of the Grand Slam a bit too much,” said back rower Julien Bonnaire.
“This will bring everyone down, maybe that is a good thing for what is coming next.”
Bonnaire, however, refused to blame the two defeats on end of season fatigue at the end of a long season.
“For sure, we have long seasons, physically it is tough but we cannot hid behind that.
“Top players know that after defeats like this they have to ask themselves a few questions. It is up to each one to do it.”
AFP