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Rome - France coach Marc Lievremont was left to survey the wreckage and the onerous task of having to rebuild morale for their final Six Nations match at home to Wales after their historic 22-21 defeat by Italy on Saturday.
The 42-year-old was visibly seething with anger even over 30 minutes after the final whistle which had seen a deserved first ever victory for Italy in the Six Nations over France - whose hopes of retaining the title are all but gone.
"I haven't bothered talking to the players yet, I just spoke to Titi (captain Thierry Dusautoir)," said the 42-year-old, for whom little has gone right since guiding France to their first Grand Slam since 2004 last year.
"We have to congratulate the Italians because from the first minute to the last minute they were better than us.
"This is yet another disappointment and yet another huge disillusionment."
Lievremont, who steadfastly refused to step down last November following the humiliating 59-16 home defeat by Australia, said that the Italians had shown more hunger and more desire than his side.
"They were a lot more determined than us and they fought physically from start to finish whereas we were absent and not very keen to engage," said Lievremont, whose decision to start heavily-criticised No8 Sebastian Chabal failed to pay-off and he was removed after 55 minutes.
"We lost every duel that we contested. This is hugely disappointing. We are going to spend another really lovely week together," he added his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"As so often with us we are going to have to rebound from yet another disappointment."
Dusautoir - who had a heated discussion with Lievremont following the Australian disaster - was distraught at the defeat and the effect it could have on their always-fragile morale as they attempt to once again win the trophy that has eluded them, the World Cup later this year in New Zealand.
"Rugby is a contact sport and about physically engaging with the opponent, and we simply weren't interested in that today," said the 29-year-old Ivory Coast-born flanker nicknamed the 'Dark Destroyer'.
"When you're not there in the game in those respects then you have no chance.
"The Italians were better than us today. When you go backwards whenever there is a physical contact then you are automatically on the back foot both physically and mentally."
Dusautoir, who rose to prominence with a stunning performance against the All Blacks in the 2007 quarter-final win putting in more tackles than the New Zealanders collectively, said that there had been a firm message at half-time when the French only led 8-6.
"We agreed that we needed to take hold of the match and turn the tables on the Italians.
"That clearly didn't materialise. We are going to have to analyse all this in the coming week but at the moment we are extremely disappointed and sad."
Veteran prop Sylvain Marconnet, who is desperate to make the World Cup squad having missed out last time because of a double leg fracture in an ill-advised ski holiday during the Six Nations that year, said that it had been a numbing experience.
"It is a bit early to analyse the match, but what is clear is that it is a huge disillusionment for all of us and has given me and I should think my team-mates a huge headache," said the 34-year-old, who is France's most capped ever prop.
France face Wales at the Stade de France next Saturday.
