[1] France captain Thierry Dusautoir and coach Marc Lievremont attend their final pre-final news conference in Auckland. REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen As perhaps befits a man with old-world Hollywood looks, French rugby coach Marc Lievremont met a hostile New Zealand media with old-world charm, disarming his inquisitors with quips and one-liners.
The Dakar-born Frenchman was peppered with questions about his team's intentions in Sunday's World Cup final against the hosts' revered All Blacks, following newspaper stories depicting France as the brutes of the rugby world.
References have been made in local media to alleged eye-gouging in the 1999 World Cup final between France and Australia, and it had been suggested that the French could resort to rough tactics to gain the upper hand at Eden Park against the heavily fancied hosts.
Specifically, would the French team be looking to tread on the injured foot of All Black captain and talisman Richie McCaw, one local reporter asked.
"That's something I forgot to mention to my players, thanks for bringing it up," Lievremont countered, his newly grown pencil thin moustache wriggling as he smiled.
"More seriously, though," he continued, "I think the French team is one of the most, if not the most, disciplined teams in the competition, and one of our aims here is to remain disciplined for this match.
"At no point, on or off the pitch, have we been guilty of any actions of this nature. I do not think it is possible to criticise the players, they have been very respectful."
Lievremont on Saturday cut a more detached figure than in recent days, crossing his arms and allowing his captain Thierry Dusautoir to take most of the questions.
"It is like this," said the 42-year-old, a player in that 1999 final. "We had our last training session yesterday, our last video session this morning... now I hand everything over to the captain and the players and really it is all down to them.
"You know, all the moments this week have been last moments with me," continued Lievremont, who stands down as French coach after the final.
"Last moments with staff, last training with players... and this is the last press conference -- it is going to be very trying to leave you all behind," he quipped.
The irony was not lost on the French media caravan who have attacked Lievremont for much of his tenure at the helm, and reporters and TV crew burst out laughing.
"But you know, things are going well thanks, there are certainly worse things in life."
His expectation for Monday? "To wake up hungover."
And his final reflections on the World Cup and his last match in charge? "To be honest, I would like it all to be over now, at this point... and for it to end well."
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