MARSEILLE - France can play prettier rugby than the pragmatic style used in recording only their second win in their last eight matches with Argentina, their rugby head coach Marc Lievremont claimed on Sunday.

The 39-year-old, who had overseen the French side's first win in four matches when David Skrela starred with nine out of their 12 points, said that while the victory might not have been pretty the French were capable of more eyecatching rugby after a morale-boosting victory.

"This is the type of rugby match that we have won in the past few years," said Lievremont, who was to many a surprise choice to replace Bernard Laporte as national coach after he stepped down following the 2007 World Cup.

"One has to know how to execute it, without evidently being happy at performing at that sort of style. Adaptability was the motto for the evening. I am sure we have the potential to play another style of rugby."

Lievremont, part of the team that were beaten by Australia in the 1999 World Cup final but who had beaten favourites New Zealand in a stunning upset in the semi-finals, said that despite criticism of his selection policy during the Six Nations when he revamped his squads, this result proved it had been right.

"We always said that in the future we could reduce the amount of changes, that in terms of the way we played we would become more pragmatic," said Lievremont, who cut his coaching teeth at Dax.

"During the Six Nations we didn't have the ammunition to win these type of matches. We were criticised but it was a choice taken on our part, which allowed us to look at certain players that were confirmed on Saturday night against Argentina.

"But it is not a squad that is already down to the regular 23 - we don't exclude anybody obviously.

"We know now in modern day rugby that it is important to have at least two or three people available for every position. And also that there are at least another 15 players capable of making it into the starting line-up if there is somebody injured."

Lievremont accepted that in principle his side should beat their next autumn test opponents Pacific Islands next weekend easily -- they went down 39-13 to England on Saturday -- but said there would be no complacency on their part.

"We know the potential of the players as individuals in their squad," said Lievremont. "We can think that this team will be lacking unity (they are picked from Fiji, Samoa and Tonga and have not won in seven test matches since their inception) even if they have had an extra week to train together.

"It is for us to press them where they are weak, to beat them to the tackle, which has never been their strong point.

"We know that we must have a kicking game that is adapted to this type of team, who adore to counter attack."

AFP