France coach Marc Lievremont insisted Sunday he would stay in his post and fight to restore his side's battered reputation following a 59-16 humiliation by the Australians on Saturday.

The 42-year-old has fallen from grace dramatically just months after being hailed as a hero for delivering France's first Six Nations Grand Slam since 2004, to the extent that questions over his position surfaced in the light of the Aussie mauling.

An estimated 60,000 spectators at the Stade de France looked on in disbelief as the French shipped 46 points in the second-half having turned round at the break locked at 13-13.

The papers were quick to suggest the reverse had left France's hopes of winning an elusive World Cup crown in tatters.

"Plucked like chickens!" read a headline in L'Equipe though they stop short of calling for Lievremont and his fellow coaches - backs handler Emile Ntamack and scrum coach Didier Retiere - to go simply because there is less than a year to go to the World Cup.

However, they left little room for optimism in two-time finalists France - whose previous worst home result had been a 52-10 defeat by South Africa in November 1997 - lifting the Webb Ellis trophy in New Zealand in November 2011.

"The French team and their coaches departed to the sound of jeers and whistles on Saturday meaning that something must change," commented L'Equipe.

"The game plan? We haven't put a consistent one in place for the past three years. The players? Well the French Barbarians made up of forgotten players lost to Tonga on Friday (28-27) so they don't have the look of saviours.

"Ditch the captain (Thierry Dusautoir)? What, to replace him with (Morgan) Parra, (Imanol) Harinordoquy, (William) Servat, (Nicolas) Mas? All we've got is a huge vacuum. No plan, no vision, a chasm of intentions between an easy victor and a haggard loser.

"There is not a day to lose if we're to get back to our peak."

Lievremont, though, while shocked at a second thumping defeat in a matter of months - they were overwhelmed 41-14 by Argentina in June - said he would not resign.

"I take full responsibility for this failure but I repeat, I am hungry to carry on," said the former France backrow forward, who played in the 1999 World Cup final loss to Australia.

"I am not sure that Pierre, Paul or Jacques could do better, even if they did it differently.

"I'm still convinced that we are going about things the right way in terms of management, managing the squad, and strategy."

Ntamack - whose decision along with Lievremont to opt for Damien Traille at fly-half in a position he rarely has played and was painfully exposed - conceded that responsibility for the shameful performance belonged to the coaching staff.

"I think first of all that everyone is concerned," said the former Toulouse star, who earned his spurs as a coach with the under-20 national side.

"But when the players are really struggling, there's always talk of resignation. That term annoys me because I didn't see the players giving up, they were simply overwhelmed all over the park.

"As regards my future I think it is best to take a few days to reflect, to go and see the players and to talk about things."

Retiere said France's players had to realise the enormity of the gap between Top 14 rugby and international level.

"The players who have ambitions to play at the World Cup must raise their level of performance, and their individual expectations."

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