Stade de France reopens for first time since Paris attacks

Snipers, sniffer dogs and extra searches, along with the presence of 250 police and 900 security staff, is created to calm nerves and new French coach Guy Noves has had to prepare his team against this backdrop.

As he took pictures outside the stadium he said “we can’t just think about that (the attacks)”.

They killed themselves and a bystander and sparked panic inside the stadium from where Hollande was hastily evacuated.

France edged to an unconvincing win over Italy to make a successful start to their Six Nations campaign.

With France still under repeated threats from the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, the authorities were determined to avoid any repetition of that night.

On the field, France and Italy both featured four uncapped debutants in their starting line-ups.

Lock Paul Jedrasiak gets his chance at the start of a new era for France under head coach Noves, with Camille Chat, Jefferson Poirot and Yacouba Camara poised to make their debuts from the bench.

Out-half Jules Plisson took over the kicking duties after Bezy came off in favour of Maxime Machenaud, and the French No. 10 was an immediate improvement, converting Bonneval’s try before adding a coolly taken penalty in the 70th minute.

Former Toulon boss Noves, 62, had promised to build a more entertaining French side from the one that went out in the quarter-finals of last year’s World Cup and finished a disappointing fourth in the 2015 Six Nations. Kelly Haimona kicked a penalty.

On Sunday, defending champions Ireland welcome Wales to Dublin.