Marcoussis - The day after his team blew a 16-point lead at home to Wales, France coach Jacques Brunel said on Saturday that he was "sure that we're on the right track".

France opened the Six Nations with a bright first half at Stade de France on Friday night but then presented Wales with two tries and lost 24-19 in a game that carried a distinct whiff of deja vu.

In 2018, Brunel's first year in charge, France lost eight of their 11 games. Four of those defeats came after they led at half time. 

"I do not think it's psychological. It's also organisation, execution, technique," Brunel said, adding that in the second half against Wales "our kicking game was less coherent and we committed two or three handling errors".

"We didn't feel that Wales were 10 kilometres ahead of us," said Brunel. "That's fortunate because it would be more difficult if we were convinced of the obvious superiority of others."  

France play England next Sunday.

"We have to again put our ideas in place," Brunel said. "But we are sure that we're on the right track despite the setbacks that we might suffer." 

He said that it is "impossible to say that the accumulation (of defeats) does not weigh on the heads of players."

"I sensed a team taking the field with great ambitions, not worried or stressed," he said, adding that the first half on Saturday offered an encouraging sign.

"I think we can reproduce that but it will be put to a severe test next weekend."