The Toulon wing on passcodes, pranks and drinks sank
France
French rugby reacts to Charlie Hebdo tragedy
French rugby played a part in the national outcry after the Charlie Hebdo tragedy
Top 14: Finances and the salary cap are strongly policed in France
Among the less interesting pages on the official France Federation website is one entitled ‘DNACG’. I don’t recommend a visit, not unless you’re an insomniac. Let me explain. DNACG stands…
Toulouse power struggle threatens Europe’s aristocrats
There’s not much Christmas spirit in Toulouse right now. In fact the atmosphere in the Pink City is what coach Guy Noves recently called ‘Nauséabond’. Imagine a rotten chunk of…
Challenge Cup: Top 14’s unwelcome distraction
I was at a loose end on Thursday evening. I did think about a trip to the cinema to see Paddington, but in the end I settled down with a…
The Top 14 and the death of l’esprit de clocher
There’s a revolution underway in French rugby, one that is having ramifications for the home nations. We’ve already seen evidence of it in October when Toulon, Toulouse and Racing Metro…
Autumn Tests 2014: End of series awards
The ‘In the black’ Award – New Zealand The marketeers at Adidas have their work cut out rebranding a black shirt, and this year they came up ‘the Blackest Shirt…
Doping in rugby: a Rugby World investigation
IN MAY 2013, during a Scottish training camp in the lead-up to the Junior World Cup, Melrose fly-half Sam Chalmers was pulled in for a random drugs test – his…
France: End of Autumn Series report
France’s November Tests are over and coach Philippe Saint-Andre will have seen some encouraging signs. A 40-15 victory over Fiji was followed by the heartstopping 29-26 defeat of Australia, but…
Have France sorted out their half-back issues?
UNLUCKY 13? Philippe Saint-Andre will be hoping not. Since he became coach of France after the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Saint-Andre has gone through 12 half-back pairings in his quest…