By Gavin Mortimer AS TEST debuts go, they don’t come much tougher than the one endured by Remi Tales. The French fly-half replaced Frederic Michalak 64 minutes into the second…
France
Is there an identity crisis for France?
The editorial in Monday’s edition of Midi Olympique pulled no punches. The national team is beset by a “gloomy lassitude”, declared the paper, brought on by a year in which…
Montpellier’s Pelissie gears up for Heineken Cup
MONTPELLIER COACH Fabien Galthié has been talking up Treviso this week, warning his players the Italians will pose a real threat when the two sides meet on Saturday in the…
Joe Worsley enjoying French lessons at Bordeaux-Begles
IT'S NOT just British and Irish players beating a path to France to further their rugby education. Scan the staff lists of the French clubs and you’ll spot more than…
Heineken Cup crisis: Business as usual for our Gallic cousins
HEINEKEN CUP hell may have broken loose in the British Isles but on the south side of the English Channel Tuesday’s news of the tournament’s likely demise has caused barely…
Top 14: Marcel Garvey on the Castres way
LAST SEASON was a funny old one for Marcel Garvey. Seventeen outings for Castres in the Top 14 and just one try, and that in the final game of the…
French Top 14: New faces for the new season
OSTENTATIOUS OR talent-filled, either way, it is hard to deny that the Top 14 will have an impressive array of international stars next season. Indeed there is something for everyone…
Summer tours: The summary
THE SUMMER tour schedule is over, with the exception of the Lions. All the Six Nations sides are done and now the players can look forward to a relaxing five…
New Zealand v France: The Preview
HERE'S A curious stat for you. In the professional age, every Six Nations championship following a Lions tour has been won by the French. In 1998 they clinched the Grand…
Win a trip to the Top 14 final!
THIS IS your chance to see who will be next to lift the Bouclier de Brennus at Stade de France on Saturday 1 June. TV5MONDE – the international French-language channel…