This year's Six Nations was one of the closest ever, with four teams having a chance to claim the title on the final day. France came out victorious on points difference – a mere four points better than the Irish. And that triumph can only boost their confidence as they go into the tournament on home soil.

But the French will need more than a superiority complex over their Six Nations rivals if they are to lift the World Cup for the first time ...

1. Focus. Traditionally the French team have struggled to focus solely on rugby, especially when playing at home. The fact that only two host nations have won the World Cup shows just how difficult it is for home teams to achieve this focus. Of course, if Bernard Laporte can get his team focused; they can demolish any other team in the world – as the 1999 All Blacks discovered.

‘A loss or even a draw in any of their Pool D games could see a clash with the All Blacks earlier than either team would like’


2. Winning their pool. This may seem obvious, but Pool D is the toughest group at the Rugby World Cup and the runners-up are likely to face the All Blacks in the quarter-finals. The winners of the pool will probably face either Scotland or Italy, who will be a much softer prospect. To win their pool, France must beat Argentina in the tournament opener, then Ireland two weeks later. A loss or even a draw in either of those games could see a clash with the All Blacks earlier than either team would like.

3. Sebastian Chabal. Dubbed ‘The Caveman’ by fans, Chabal shone out like a beacon when the second-string French side toured New Zealand. He showed how dangerous his bustling runs can be when All Black Ali Williams ended up with a broken jaw while attempting stop him. Chabal will need to carry the ball, both close to the ruck and out wide, to help set up the men outside him.

4. Frederic Michalak. When Michalak struggles, France struggle. Every Rugby World Cup has come down to high-pressure goal kicking and this year will be no different. If France are to claim the William Webb Ellis trophy, they will need Michalak at his accurate best. He's looking comfortable at fly-half after moving out from scrum-half and he goes into this tournament fresh after missing the entire Six Nations following knee surgery.

France have a deep and explosive side and do not really rely on any one player besides Michalak for their success. The draw has been very kind to them as well – if they beat Argentina in the tournament opener they then have two weeks to prepare for the Irish, and then can look forward to a likely semi-final showdown with the Springboks.

Of course, the draw could also be their downfall as they have long gaps between big games. The danger is that Laporte's men could easily lose focus and tumble out of the tournament at the hands of a lesser team such as Scotland.

The French know they have a team physically capable of winning this tournament, they just need to work on the mental side to succeed.

Next: Ireland – Can the men from the Emerald Isle turn the rest of the rugby world green with envy?

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