JAMES HARRINGTON
FRENCH COLUMN

SATURDAY’S Top 14 match between Bordeaux and Stade Francais was not one for the annals - persistent rain, a slippery ball and hard not to spot defensive, kick-heavy, gameplans from both sides soon put paid to any hope that this would be any other other than a gritty grapple at Stade Chaban Delmas.
The Parisian side’s replacement prop Giorgi Melikidze scored the only try of the game under the posts, four minutes after the hooter. Arthur Covile converted with the final kick of the game to take the score to 15-10, allowing the visitors to head home with a losin...