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'The players are unable to develop technically and physically' - Delaigue

Former France fly-half Yann Delaigue

Yann Delaigue says the huge influx of foreign players in the Top 14 is damaging French rugby and thinks it could take up to five years for Les Bleus to compete with the best in the world.

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France won just three of 11 Tests last year and lost their first two Six Nations matches last month in a new era under Jacques Brunel, who replaced sacked head coach Guy Noves.

Former France fly-half Delaigue feels the vast quantity of overseas imports is preventing young talent from being given the chance to develop and that is harming the national team.

He told Omnisport: “We have a big problem in that we just can’t seem to compete against the big nations.

“We have a problem in that in our championship we have a lot of foreign players and we don’t give the young French players enough opportunities. The players are unable to develop technically and physically.”

Delaigue added: “I think it could take up to five years to become a strong nation. We have good young players, but we need them to gain more experience playing in the Top 14 so they can develop into stars.

“We know that and things may change now, but it will take time for that to show with results.”

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Brunel got the first victory of his reign against Italy last time out and Delaigue thinks he could be a good appointment, but does not think it was a change of head coach that France need to move forward.

“Jacques Brunel is a good guy. Guy Noves was also a good guy, I don’t think the coach is the problem, there is much more to it than that,” Delaigue said.

 

– Delaigue was speaking during the Tournoi des 6 Stations Orangina [The 6 Stations Tournament] on the snow in the French Alps from February 12-18. For more information on the event visit http://tournoides6stations.com/en/

 

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Nickers 27 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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