Features

French rugby hits the heights

Author: John Harris
Date: 29/03/2010
Rugby Union betting

Northern hemisphere rugby continues to be dominated by France with Les Bleus deservedly securing the Six Nations Grand Slam earlier this month while players remain keen to move from the Guinness Premiership to the Top 14.

Although France stuttered to a narrow 12-10 victory against a revitalised England team last weekend to complete their perfect record in this year's competition, Marc Lievremont's side were the best team in the 2010 Six Nations by some distance.

It was France's ninth Grand Slam and their first in six years but Lievremont knows that his team are still not as strong as the likes of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

More will be known about France's qualities when they have returned from their summer tour to 2007 World Cup winners South Africa, but they will not start the 2011 edition of the tournament as one of the sportsbook favourites.

The strength of French club rugby has never been better though as the Top 14 continues to lure the best players from the Guinness Premiership across the Channel.

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Last year the likes of James Haskell and Tom Palmer left Wasps to team up with Stade Francais while Riki Flutey opted to swap life in London for Brive.

Jonny Wilkinson has already agreed to spend a second season at Toulon where he will be joined by Paul Sackey for the 2010-11 campaign.

Some players have returned to England and there have been some club v country disputes, notably the rumpus that erupted between James Haskell and Stade Francais when the French side insisted they were not obliged to release the player for international duty.

Such rows are likely to become more common-place as rugby union, since the game turned professional, has become more like football.

On the pitch, Wilkinson has helped to revitalise a Toulon team that is currently fifth in the table, only four points adrift of leaders Castres, after finishing a dismal ninth last term.

Castres' revival has been even more dramatic though as they were 12th last season after winning just seven of their 26 matches.

They also have more home-grown players in their squad than most, with Phil Christophers the only Englishman currently on the club's books, although even he was born in Germany and started his career at Brive before starring for Bristol and Leeds Tykes.

Castres' strength shows just why French rugby is currently booming, but it remains to be seen whether Les Bleus can replicate their Six Nations form when they face the best the southern hemisphere can offer in the next 12 months.

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