The French will focus on damage control above all else when they attempt rugby league's version of mission impossible in Saturday's Four Nations clash against Australia in Paris.
Australia will win the match and cruise into the tournament final – it's just a matter of by how far.
Realistic France coach Bobby Goulding, who played 17 Tests for Great Britain, just wants to earn some respect for a once-proud rugby league nation.
"We know we're up against the ropes – all I want to see is commitment and effort from all my players," he told Sky Sports Radio on Friday.
"We're not looking at the result, we're looking at the performance."
"If I can have 17 guys who are going to go out bust a gut, put in for the cause and sweat tears for the cause, I'll be happy with that."
Australia has made seven changes to the team that beat England last weekend, giving Cooper Cronk, Josh Morris and Michael Jennings their first hit-outs of the tournament.
But even with some of their big names resting up in the City of Light, the Kangaroos are a formidable opponent.
"We know we are coming up against well-renowned names," Goulding noted.
"We've got to be on our mettle and hopefully Australia will have a bad day and (even then) we're still going to be in for a tough fight."
"We're going to give it a fight, we're going to give it a shot and we'll see what happens."
Goulding is dedicated to lifting the standard of French rugby league after decades in the doldrums.
The Tricolours, who last beat Australia in 1978, languish well below the world's leading league nations.
"I know the cards I've been dealt and we're progressing," Goulding said.
"I just want people to judge me in three years when my contract's finished and I'd have done a good job by then."
Goulding says France needs another team to join Catalans in the European Super League if it is to lift standards.
"It would be a real good idea. That's one of my aims over the next two years - to make sure there's another French team in there," he said.
"We're really behind the 15-a-side game at international level and I don't know why because it's (rugby union) like watching paint dry."