There is no doubt that the French rugby public are in a rather dour place at the moment.
Last year's World Cup was supposed to be a glorious homecoming, with many making the French the big favourites to win the tournament soil after a process of consistent improvement over the previous few years. However, they would underperform and be eliminated at the quarter-final stage.
Plenty of soul-searching took place in the months that followed, although it was expected that the team would be out to prove a point in their Six Nations opener against Ireland last night.
If that was the case, they certainly failed to do so. France were completely outclassed during the game in the Stade Velodrome in Marseille, with Andy Farrell's side running out as 38-17 winners on the night.
READ HERE: France Star Gives Grim Summary Of His Team's Performance Against Ireland
The French media reaction to Ireland Six Nations Loss
As you might imagine, this result has sparked quite the reaction in the French media.
Midi Olympique said this game showed that Fabien Galthie's side were no longer operating at the same level as the world's best teams.
It was with a certain confidence that Fabien Galthié's men immersed themselves in preparing for this meeting. However, France was outclassed as rarely since the former scrum half took power.
Tactically mastered, physically carried away, outplayed on the touchline, stifled on the ground and humiliated on the scoreboard... The Blues went through hell against Ireland...
We must then face the facts: France saw its limits this Friday and above all noted that it no longer had the level of the best nations in the world.
Although announced as the main competitors of the Irish during this 2024 edition, the French foundered with several of their ideas.
Of course, this was also a French side without a number of big names players.
La Figaro said that Antoine Dupont's absence was particularly noticeable, going on to claim that his replacement Maxime Lucu is operating at nowhere near the same level as the Toulouse star.
While their ex-captain was preparing to play in the opening this Saturday with Toulouse in the Top 14, his teammates measured the weight of the absence. The main threat gone to free the Irish.
A replacement who has neither the same length nor the same precision in the kicking game. And neither the same vision, nor the same push to make differences. No need to overwhelm Maxime Lucu. We knew he didn't have the protean talent of Dupont.
2 February 2024; Maxime Lucu of France reacts after his side concede their third try during the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between France and Ireland. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
In the buildup to this fixture, many felt that the Stade Velodrome could play a big part in deciding the outcome of the game. The Marseille venue is known to have a ferocious atmosphere when France come to town. However, it did not faze the Irish on this occasion.
La Provence said that Ireland played 'the role of Ivan Drago' in France's very own Rocky movie, going on to claim they can no longer claim the Stade Velodrome as some sort of fortress after the visitors quieted the stadium last night.
To then see the turn of events, where the Blues were dominated head and shoulders, this entry onto the field, sprinkled with a pyrotechnic spectacle, is reminiscent, for movie buffs, of that of Apollo Creed in Rocky IV , minus James Brown. And the Irish were quick to take on the role of Ivan Drago.
Enough to dampen the enthusiasm of the Blues fans, who were just waiting to ignite. In spite of this, some did not hesitate to leave the stadium several minutes before the final whistle...
Alas, Fabien Galthié's men had swallowed the trumpet and it was the Irish who sang until the end of the night.
After this memorable spanking, we can no longer say that in Marseille we don't know how to receive.
This result is sure to hand over France for the remainder of their Six Nations campaign.
For Ireland, they will look to use it as a springboard as they seek to become the first nation to win back to back Grand Slams since the championship was expanded to six teams at the turn of the century.
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