A late August Sunday evening in Paris and the sights and sounds of summer are being played out to a backing track of rugby fever and nervous anticipation.

Even those relaxing on the banks of the Seine and canal Saint-Martin cannot escape the fact as they blink up in the setting sun to glance at posters showing the men that the whole French nation will be hoping can lift the Rugby World Cup on October 28 at Stade de France.

Heading to Saint-Denis during normal office hours, at the Guinness Six Nations in February and March, can be a chilling experience. The icy winds that blow through this flat expanse in northern Paris can cut like a knife, but tonight things are different.

The mild breeze blowing through the open windows of the RER train pulling out of Gare du Nord is a timely reminder that summer is still here, the normal rugby wear of padded jackets, scarves and hats have been replaced by T-shirts sunglasses and flip-flops.

Tonight France played their final Rugby World Cup warm up match against the 1991 and 1999 World Champions Australia.

The tournament starts in twelve days time here in the capital before spreading its wings to Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Saint-Etienne, Nantes, Nice, Toulouse and Bordeaux.

You really feel for the players on a night like this, any injury at this stage of the proceedings and their World Cup is probably over before it has even begun, yet they dare not let those dark thoughts enter their heads, holding back even the smallest percentage can lead to a self fulfilling prophecy.

Having already lost Romain Ntamack Galthie must have been tempted to wrap a few key personnel in cotton wool but they went in to this match fully loaded.

Jonathan Danty had no thoughts about self preservation throwing himself into the inferno, he knows no other way, his seventh minute try set France on the road to victory.

The laser like boot of Ramos took France to a 16-5 half time lead, but more tries followed in the second half.

Damian Penaud with the wonderful gait of a drunken man running downhill bagged a brace, and Villiere added a fourth.

For France and their fans the day ended better than they could possibly have hoped for with no injuries and a stirring victory.

As the RER train wound it’s way back to central Paris the talk from the human cargo had already turned to the match against the All Blacks and the start of what is sure to be a wonderful Rugby World Cup.