After a miserable 2018 and on the back of a 3-0 drubbing in New Zealand in June, France knows exactly what they need to do against South Africa on Saturday.
Lock Artur Iturria says: “We have to win.
“We have very good players and a good system.
“If we bring all the ingredients together at the same time, I don’t see why we cannot rival the best teams in the world. I hope that will be the case on Saturday evening.”
It is fighting talk from the Clermont forward, whose last taste of Test rugby ended with a Six Nations defeat against Scotland in February.
A bad weekend was made worse when a late night in an Edinburgh bar led to him being banished, along with seven others, from the French squad.
Since Jacques Brunel took over as coach last December, France has played eight Tests, winning just two against Italy and England in the Six Nations.
With three Tests to come against the Springboks, Argentina and Fiji they have the chance to rewrite the end-of-year reviews.
Experienced wing Yoann Huget adds: “To start off again with a win would be huge for the squad, the staff, for everyone.
“It would create real enthusiasm.
“We need to validate the work we have put in over the past year by beating a major nation.”