And while Malzieu is not renowned for his kicking game, he is adamant that he is more than capable when called upon.

“It’s true that I rarely try a little kick over the top,” said Malzieu.

“It’s the sidestep for me. I tried it [against Italy], it worked, all the better. Overall that try was typical for me. I must have tried a little kick over the top two years ago, or maybe last year.

“But if it’s rare for me to kick, when I do it’s not that bad. If you remember the Top 14 semi-final against Toulon two years ago I scored from my own 22. I don’t do it often but I go for quality over quantity in my kicking game.

“When you are on the wing you don’t get the ball that often. So if we avoid giving the ball away by kicking, it’s probably a good thing.”

With temperatures expected to drop well below freezing for France’s clash with Ireland, Malzieu knows he is in for a chilly evening.

However the Clermont winger insists with both sides having to cope with the icy conditions, it should have little bearing on the final result.

He said: “We will have to run and move non-stop. For the legs it will be ok. But the upper body will be more difficult so we’ll have to find a solution.

“But it will be the same for Ireland. And what’s more we are used to it at Clermont. Still it will be difficult. We just need to hope that the pitch isn’t frozen.”

“The worst thing is to not touch the ball in the rain. That’s when you get really cold. If it stays dry I’ll be happy.”