The Paris symphony orchestra are back in session. Forced away from their suburban concert hall last year by the Olympics, on their Six Nations return to the Stade de France this fabulous French side gave the crowd a night to remember. Twelve months ago, in Marseille, they had played all the wrong notes in the wrong order to be badly beaten by Ireland; Wales may not be in the class of the two-time defending champions but this was a drastic improvement.
They have the capacity to play far better than they did in this 43-0 thrashing. It is their ability to blend a mighty percussion section with the softer strings that marks France out as tournament favourites, but the difference in this fixture, and perhaps to this tournament, was their masterful maestro of a conductor. The peerless Antoine Dupont, absent last year en route to securing Olympic gold, is back where he belongs.
