Analysis
France get a case of the pre-World Cup jitters
Ireland’s emphatic win in Dublin has exposed the Bleus’ deficiencies and opened up insecurities in the host nation
Gavin Mortimer
15 Feb 2023, 10:37
Contributors
Gavin Mortimer
Few Anglophone rugby writers have such an intimate (and painful) knowledge of French rugby as Gavin Mortimer. Having been gouged, butted and stamped during two seasons as a player in the deep south of the country, Gavin now prefers the more sedate pastime of writing about the state of the game in France. Over the years he’s interviewed the likes of Bernard Laporte, Frederic Michalak and Antoine Dupont, and he also provides co-commentary for Canal Plus’s English language coverage of the Top 14.
Analysis
Can France rid themselves of the Twickenham hex?
France should win their first Six Nations match in England since 2005 – if they can overcome the fear factor
Gavin Mortimer
25 Jan 2023, 6:34
Analysis
France unites to ensure Bernie doesn't bring down Les Bleus
French rugby is determined disgraced FFR president Bernard Laporte won’t harm their chances of winning the World Cup
Gavin Mortimer
05 Jan 2023, 3:00
Analysis
The end of the line for Laporte?
Convicted of corruption by a court in Paris on Tuesday, the big question is, can Bernard Laporte remain a rugby powerbroker?
Gavin Mortimer
15 Dec 2022, 4:40
Analysis
France torn over whether Ntamack or Jalibert partners Dupont at RWC
Fabien Galthie and the French nation are praying that Antoine Dupont stays fit but who partners him at No 10 is up for debate
Gavin Mortimer
23 Nov 2022, 4:38
Analysis
November will show if injury-hit France have strength in depth to lift the World Cup
A raft of injuries and the burden of expectation on Les Bleus is ramping up with just 10 months to hosting a global jamboree
Gavin Mortimer
01 Nov 2022, 13:04
Analysis
Why is French rugby flourishing while in England it flounders?
Across the channel, there is befuddlement at the crisis engulfing English rugby but if you dig deep enough, you can see why the To…
Gavin Mortimer
18 Oct 2022, 11:30
Analysis
Wacky Racing: Will Stuart Lancaster finally help the enigmatic French club fulfil their potential?
Gavin Mortimer
05 Oct 2022, 4:56
Analysis
The French disconnection
French referees are different to Anglophone ones – as Bernard Foley discovered to his, and Australia's cost
Gavin Mortimer
22 Sep 2022, 9:09
Analysis
Dupont or Ollivon? The battle to be the boss of Les Bleus
French rugby is on a roll and head coach Fabien Galthie now has to choose his captain for the World Cup, it's a straight shoot-out…
Gavin Mortimer
15 Sep 2022, 10:18
Analysis
Bernard Laporte: Influential, inspirational and in the dock
French rugby is back at the summit of world rugby but politics threatens to engulf its most influential individuals a year out fro…
Gavin Mortimer
19 Aug 2022, 7:23
Analysis
Yoram Moefana: France's silent assassin
Hailing from Futuna, a tiny French-speaking South Pacific Island, the Bordeaux-Bègles centre is quietly making waves in Fabien Ga…
Gavin Mortimer
22 Jul 2022, 3:14
Opinion
Zach Mercer has usurped Jonny as France's favourite Englishman
The former Bath No 8 has taken the Top 14 by storm with Montpellier and he's been tipped to go to another level
Gavin Mortimer
07 Jul 2022, 4:37
Analysis
Will Fabien Galthie unearth more gold nuggets in Japan?
French rugby is on the crest of a wave and they know they can afford to take an understrength squad to Japan and rest their bigges…
Gavin Mortimer
28 Jun 2022, 5:26
Opinion
French offer lukewarm response to South Africa's inclusion in the Champions Cup
There is disquiet in France about the inclusion of South African sides in the Champions Cup with some feeling it has been foisted …
Gavin Mortimer
14 Jun 2022, 7:16
Analysis
Brain not brawn: the renaissance of Top 14 coaches
The traditional image of a hot-headed, combustible French coach has been replaced by a more reflective, intellectual coach that ha…
Gavin Mortimer
24 May 2022, 3:57
Analysis
French rugby points to England's broken system as the gulf between the Top 14 and ProD2 widens
French rugby's second division dwarfs the Championship in England both in terms of revenue and crowd numbers but there are still c…
Gavin Mortimer
04 May 2022, 12:04
Analysis
Return of the Saint
Philippe Saint-Andre was left battered and bruised from his experiences with Les Bleus but he has proved doubters wrong by guiding…
Gavin Mortimer
20 Apr 2022, 4:10
France gets its act together while England bemoans structural failings
French political infighting brought the game to its knees but after a period of stability, results have seen the public fall back …
Gavin Mortimer
29 Mar 2022, 16:50
Analysis
Six Nations: Gael Fickou's ascendancy to French defensive lynchpin
The Racing 92 midfielder is the glue that knits a backline of superstars together and at 27, his best years lie ahead of him
Gavin Mortimer
08 Mar 2022, 11:14
