FRANCE is a foreign country: they do things differently there. For one thing, they have a pyramid league system that works every bit as well in rugby as it does in football. Even more radically, the union game across the water is run by people prepared to turn down money. Yes, really. What fool said the age of miracles had passed?
Last week’s decision of the ruling federation to reject the idea of playing one of next summer’s Tests against the All Blacks in the United States rather than New Zealand was striking. “There were some advantages, including the promotion...