JAMES HARRINGTON
FRENCH COLUMN

New star? Pierre-Louis Barassi is hailed as the answer to France’s midfield problems

France coach Jacques Brunel has already dipped into the Top 14’s player well four times, after Wesley Fofana, Demba Bamba, Peato Mauvaka and Thomas Ramos suffered World Cup-ending injuries before Sunday’s third Pool match against Tonga.
Neither Fofana nor Mauvaka made it onto a pitch in Japan. A thigh injury in the warm-up match against Italy proved serious enough to end Fofana’s international career a few weeks earlier than expected. Mauvaka, me...