Lagisquet: Favourite tag adds pressure
France will have extra pressure on them in the upcoming Six Nations as they start favourites owing to their going close to winning the World Cup, new backs coach Patrice Lagisquet said.
The 49-year-old – known as the Bayonne Express during his playing career which brought him 46 caps – added that they must show themselves to be worthy of that tag when they begin their campaign at home to Italy on Saturday week.
“The French team is the side who went so close to winning the World Cup,” said Lagisquet, who along with scrum coach Yannick Bru and head coach Philippe Saint Andre came in after the 8-7 defeat by the All Blacks in last October’s World Cup final.
“Everyone is imbued with the spirit of that final, the performance that they produced with the All Blacks at bay in the final quarter-of-an-hour.
“It is clear that this team is the favourite.
“It is imperative we show ourselves worthy of that mantle. Although one can say that it will add extra pressure,” added Lagisquet, who coached Biarritz to three national titles (2002/05/06) and the 2006 European Cup final.
Lagisquet said that the team had very high standards to maintain.
“What the France team showed that day (the final), the bar has been placed very high,” he said.
“However, I think that is a good thing to be looking to play at that level.”
AFP
