If France win the Six Nations next Saturday, but miss out on the Grand Slam by losing to England at the Stade de France, it would be a huge disappointment, said coach Marc Lievremont.
After Sunday's 46-20 humbling of Italy, the French are within one match of claiming their first Grand Slam since 2004.
Lievremont has led the team to four convincing Six Nations victories in his third campaign since taking over from Bernard Laporte who stepped down following the 2007 World Cup.
However, not even replacing Ireland as champions will suffice if the French fail to claim what many would consider a deserved Grand Slam, which would be their ninth in all.
"We all know that England is a team with enormous potential," said Lievremont, whose predecessor lost to England in two successive World Cup semi-finals.
"We know that because we have a dark memory of them last year, in the last match between us and them at Twickenham (France lost 34-10).
"We know that this English team is capable of playing better.
They have not shown that so far in the tournament, or if they have only at intermittent intervals.
"It is imperative we prepare well for their visit and that they will be at their best, we also have to recover from this match well and convince ourselves that we are facing a superb team.
"However, winning the tournament without the Grand Slam will be an emormous disappointment."
Lievremont said that if any more motivation was needed it was that their opponents were arch-foes England.
"It is a France v England clash and by consequence that is enough in terms of motivation," he said.
"The French have not beaten England for ages (since 2006 in the Six Nations) save for World Cup warm-up matches in 2007 under Bernard (Laporte)."
France captain Thierry Dusautoir said that there would be no possibility of taking the English for granted, even though Martin Johnson's side cannot overtake France in the standings even if they win.
They are on five points after being held to a 15-15 draw by Scotland on Saturday.
"The French team are going to play England in an important match," said the 28-year-old Ivory Coast-born flanker.
"We respect them. They will certainly be really pleased to win here and to bring to a halt our sequence of wins in the tournament this season," added the Toulouse star.
Morgan Parra, perhaps France's outstanding player throughout the tournament, was another who refused to discount the English gatecrashing the party.
"England don't appear to be on great form, but two years ago they didn't seem to be either but they came here and won (24-13)," said the 21-year-old scrum-half.
"What's more they come here without any pressure on them and to finish the Six Nations on a high note and to deprive us of the Grand Slam.
"We are going to be wary just as we were wary against the Italians. We are going to work hard this week."
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