French worry over foreign imports

AGEN - French rugby chiefs are worried about the effect the influx of foreign players is having on the national side just nine months ahead of the World Cup.

"Today our only obsession is the World Cup," said French team manager Jo Maso.

"But after that, the French rugby federation and the national league will have a big job to manage the number of foreign players in our championship."

French coach Bernard Laporte has already bemoaned the lack of competition for the position of prop forward in the national squad.

In the last round of French championship games, on December 22 and 23, 17 of the 28 props who started the seven matches were foreigners.

The same debate has been taking place in England where national director of rugby Rob Andrew recently partially blamed the crisis of form facing the world champions on the number of foreign players signed by English premiership clubs.

- AFP