AUCKLAND, New Zealand — After the disharmony that plagued the French team in the first stage of the Rugby World Cup, the coaches and players now seem to be singing from the same hymn sheet.

France came within a whisker of being eliminated two weeks ago after Coach Marc Lièvremont’s public criticism of players and after his erratic lineup selection led to internal bickering.

With a loss to Tonga on Oct. 1, after being beaten handily by New Zealand the previous week, the French hit their lowest point at a World Cup, even though they had somehow managed to scrape into the quarterfinals with two victories in their four opening-round matches.

Lièvremont’s offer of reconciliation over a postmatch beer was rebuffed by the players immediately after the Tonga loss. But peace was established the next day with veteran players like Lionel Nallet, Julien Bonnaire, William Servat, Imanol Harinordoquy and Dimitri Yachvili apparently concluding that only with a collective approach could the French hope to defeat England.