France must prove they will not crumble under psychological pressure of hosting World Cup

History has so far taught us that hosting the rugby World Cup goes one of two ways.

Mostly, the expectation that comes as hosts manifests itself positively: New Zealand winning in 1987, England finalists in 1991, South Africa victors in 1995, France runners-up in 1999, Australia finalists in 2003, the All Blacks’ second title in 2011, and Japan’s against-the-odds marvel in 2019. Occasionally, however, there is a bad apple; England’s 2015 humiliation remains the only time in World Cup history that the host nation has failed to progress from the pool stages.

In terms of hosting disappointments, however, France’s 2007 campaign takes the silver medal – in spite of their eventual semi-final. Les Bleus lost the opener to underdogs Argentina – their eventual tormentors again in the tournament’s bronze final – before defeat to an England team that was punching just as inaccurately as it was above its weight. There was, of course, the heroics of a quarter-final victory against New Zealand for France, a match in which Thierry Dusautoir, the former French flanker, starred.

On Sunday evening, as France face reigning world champions South Africa in the quarter-finals, that 2007 silver medal could quite easily slip to bronze. This French side, among the favourites to finish the tournament as conquerors of the world, are a supremely talented bunch but a last-eight exit, buckling under the pressure as hosts, would have them second only to 2015 England in terms of hosting failures.

Thus far, including in the opening match against the All Blacks, France have been unfazed by the expectation. Knock-out sport is a different kettle of poisson entirely, however, and the composure that France have effused thus far might not necessarily be replicated on Sunday at the Stade de France.

But Dusautoir, who won 80 caps for France across a nine-year period, believes the lessons of 2007 have been learnt and that, on a psychological level, this French side is the best prepared and most resilient of all time – two attributes that, historically, would not have been uttered in the same sphere as Les Bleus.

“What happened to us in 2007 won’t happen again,” the 41-year-old tells Telegraph Sport. “We only experienced the tournament together, internally in 2007. We didn’t have much contact with the outside world. This year, with William Servat, Fabien Galthié and Raphaël Ibañez on the coaching team, they have understood what happened in 2007 and in other World Cups and learnt the lessons.

“William is a really good friend of mine and he told me: ‘Man, it’s completely different. It’s not like the World Cup we experienced. We’re open to the world and we’re well connected to people.’ They don’t have this weight on their shoulders.

“It’s about Fabien, William and the other coaches. They all had a lot of international experience as players, so they are used to being close to the players; managing the pressure, the teams.

“The psychological point is important. Everyone is ready physically to play at the World Cup, but the head is different. They have used their experiences as players to help the current crop prepare for this moment.

“In 2007, too, we didn’t have any psychological preparation. Now, they have a member of staff to talk to. We didn’t have this. The union has improved in this regard, too.”

‘We didn’t manage the pressure well’

Despite the eventual disappointment on a collective level, Dusautoir’s individual heroics in that 2007 tournament have entered rugby folklore. In the quarter-final victory over New Zealand, the flanker made a staggering 38 tackles – a record at the time. As a team, however, Dusautoir admits that France were thrown off kilter by the bright lights of the Stade de France – and an expectant public.

“In 2007, we started in a bad way, losing to Argentina,” Dusautoir says. “When we came out at the Stade de France, into the lights for the first game, it was like: ‘Oh, wow, we’re playing in a home World Cup.’ And all the pressure came onto us. We didn’t manage it well and we lost the first game.

“Having lost that game, we knew that we would play in a quarter-final against New Zealand, so we already knew that the path to winning that tournament would be hard. But, in a way, the pressure was almost lifted off our shoulders.

“This French team are not as affected by this because they are more confident. They built their confidence over the past four years, beating every team from all corners of the world, and winning the Grand Slam in 2022. And that win by 50 points at Twickenham earlier this year. Incredible.

“This team has a lot of confidence. It helps them to manage this pressure. They are prepared. OK, the first game was important, for the country and the image of France’s campaign, but we all knew months ago that this quarter-final was going to be against either Ireland or South Africa. They are prepared.”

On Sunday night, we will know for sure.

Thierry Dusautoir was speaking at the launch of Rivals Les Bleus, a documentary featuring the French flanker and Richie McCaw, available for free to all, on New Zealand Rugby’s new streaming platform