So not for the first time in his three-year reign Philippe Saint-Andre [PSA] has taken a broom to the Bleus, changing a third of the XV for the visit of…
Gavin Mortimer
Six Nations: The root of France’s problems
Are the French hindered by a lack of sport in their schools?
Philippe Saint-Andre uses stability as France’s new watchword
Just the one change for France for the trip to Dublin on Saturday, and once again Philippe Saint-Andre has caught us off-guard. With Alexander Menini injured in the dour 15-8…
Saint-Andre readies France for his final assault
Perhaps the pressure is no longer on the shoulders of Philippe Saint-Andre [PSA]. Or at least not to the same extent it has been at the start of his three…
Passion behind Stade Français Top 14 success
THESE ARE good times to be a Stade Français fan. Currently level on points with Clermont at the summit of the Top 14 table, the Parisian outfit have claimed some…
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…