GRAND SLAM BLEUS THE LAST TIME OUT

The French deal almost exclusively in Grand Slams these days - supposedly one of the sporting world's more valuable currencies, but easy to come by if you happen to play your international rugby in the northern reaches of Paris.

The Tricolores managed consecutive clean sweeps in 1997 and 1998, breezed through the 2002 competition without a stain on their record and achieved something similar a year ago, beating Sir Clive Woodward's team in the climactic match of the tournament with tries from Imanol Harinordoquy and Dimitri Yachvili.

It was the sweetest of moments for les Bleus, who had tasted the sourness of a World Cup semi-final defeat by the English only four months previously. Laid low by a veritable Webb Ellis of a hangover, Woodward's men could not summon sufficient furies to defend their Six Nations title - they lost to Ireland at Twickenham, and struggled to prevail over the resurgent Welsh at the same venue. How the mighty were fallen.

P W D L F A Pts

France 5 5 0 0 144 60 10

Ireland 5 4 0 1 128 82 8

England 5 3 0 2 150 86 6

Wales 5 2 0 3 125 116 4

Italy 5 1 0 4 42 152 2

Scotland 5 0 0 5 53 146 0