But five days ahead of their match against England, who lost 11-9 to Wales at the weekend, Pelous does not want to press the panic button, although the side have clearly failed to bounce back from their two November Test-match defeats to Argentina and New Zealand.

“We won and that’s something we should not forget,” said Pelous.

“Nothing was perfect but in the end we ended up winners.

“I don’t want to feel down or pessimistic about what happened. We have work to do because we know we did not play well.

“We did not attack well but our defence was not that bad, there is no need to panic.”

Pelous admitted his side were below par in most areas of the game, but hopes their ability to bounce back will show at Twickenham this weekend.

“We were weak and fragile against Scotland,” added Pelous.

“We were sort of scared to do well, I don’t really have an explanation.

“But France have experienced catastrophic tournaments, but also glorious ones, despite bad starts.

“We are now going to put this match to one side and prepare for the England clash. We must produce twice as much than the first clash.”

Coach Bernard Laporte, who will announce his starting line-up in Marcoussis on Wednesday, has been forced to include back-up flanker Serge Betsen as well as Biarritz winger Jimmy Marlu, Perpignan prop Nicolas Mas and his team-mate Jean-Philippe Granclaude at centre for his first call-up.

They will replace respectively Patrick Tabacco, who is relegated to the A team, Ludovic Valbon (back injury), Pieter de Villiers (shoulder) and Aurelien Rougerie (facial injury).

A doubt remains about Betsen, who will appear before the ERC commission on Wednesday in Glasgow and faces a suspension following a challenge on Wasps’ Stuart Abbott, which left the player with a serious leg injury during a European Cup clash between the English side and Biarritz.

If Betsen is suspended, Laporte could replace him with Imanol Harinordoquy or Thomas Lievremont.