French count cost of endless game

David Llewellyn hears a nation's malaise stems from 11-month season

Things are approaching critical mass in French rugby. The fall-out from last weekend's defeat at home to Ireland promises to have far-reaching consequences. The key issue, as another international looms, against Italy on Saturday, lies with the players, where talk is not so much of burn-out as melt-down.

Things are approaching critical mass in French rugby. The fall-out from last weekend's defeat at home to Ireland promises to have far-reaching consequences. The key issue, as another international looms, against Italy on Saturday, lies with the players, where talk is not so much of burn-out as melt-down.

It is of little import that French Rugby Federation president Bernard Lapasset decided last week to scrap the domestic knock-out competition, La Coupe de France; according to leading figures in the game there that is only one step on a far longer journey.

"It just is not enough," says Philippe Saint-André, France's most capped wing, former captain and current coach of Gloucester. "The whole programme needs to be looked at. To begin with, the length of the French season puts the players at a disadvantage compared with the rest of the Six Nations. In England, players have a month completely off at the end of a season, then there is a five- or six-week period of preseason training. And they start the new season refreshed.

"In France, there is no time for any of that because the season runs for 11 months. This year, for example, it ends on 15 July and they are back in action with their clubs three-and-a- half weeks later at the start of the next campaign. It is crazy. It is also boring for the players. They never have a chance to recover from injury. Is it any surprise that France began the match against Ireland without so many first-choice backs?

"Given the demands being made on French players, the defeat against Ireland was not as shocking as the victory over New Zealand in the World Cup semi-final. Because in that game the players kept going for 80 minutes.

"What happened against the Irish was more typical of what we have come to expect from the French given their lack of preparation. They can maintain a high standard for 50 or 60 minutes, but they fade away in the final quarter. You can have the most talented and skilful players in the world, but if they are not fit, if they are carrying injuries, then they cannot give of their best."

Saint-André feels the Ireland defeat was possibly the best thing that could have happened. "Perhaps it will now make the federation see sense and work with Serge Blanco, who is president of the Ligue National de Rugby, on restructuring the season.

"First of all the championship format needs changing. At the moment only one game in four is of a high standard, but players have to turn out in every match. That does them no good."

He added: "Then the season has to be reduced in length. The aim should be: competition, recuperation and preparation, that is what we have in most rugby countries and it is what is lacking in France."

Saint-André is certain that Blanco, another heroic figure in French rugby will be able to pull something off. "He has done a very good job so far for the league," explains Saint-André. "He has secured very good sponsorship and television deals, better than anywhere else in Europe."

For his part, Blanco is determined that action will be taken. "When I first suggested changing the structure of the season everyone laughed at me; they thought I did not know what I was talking about, but I have been an international player. I know the physical and mental pressures that are put on players. If France want to remain competitive at club andinternational level then something has to change."

Blanco wants ultimately to see northern and southern hemisphere seasons dovetailing, and, like others among the Six Nations, he is all for having blocks of competition, dom-estic league, European Cup and Six Nations all taking place in their allotted timescale, and simultaneously in each country.

"What we have now, the system, is utterly mad," declares Blanco. "Ever since I took over as president of the Ligue, which was two years ago to be precise, I said that each competition should be concentrated into one element of the season.

"Ideally in France I would like to see the Six Nations played in April and May. The European Cup could be at the start of the season and then we could wind everything up with our domestic championship. But however things work out is immaterial; if it is not possible to have precisely what France wants then it does not matter. What is important is for everyone to get together and sort something out."

As Saint-André says: "France has now lost her last five games at home in the Stade de France." And he reels them off in order: "Australia, Wales and Scotland last year, and now England and Ireland this season. That is not right. It is unthinkable.

"The situation has to be sorted out. There must be no war between the clubs and the federation. The clubs need the FFR as much as the FFR needs the clubs."

Since France have, of late, set all the standards, then the fall-out, if nothing is done, could have far-reaching consquences for the game in the northern hemisphere.