James Harrington

/ 5 days ago

Top 14: Raffaele Storti set to get his chance at Grenoble

French Column by James Harrington Portugal winger Raffaele Storti has made a habit of not doing things the easy way –...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 1 month ago

Nice are planning a quick reversal

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Nice work: Former Wales fly-half Owen Williams PICTURE: Getty Images YOU may not have heard of Stade...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 3 months ago

U20s Six Nations: France run nine tries past overpowered Welsh lads

By James Harrington France................63pts Tries: Akrab 3, 40; Pacome 27, Mousques 50, 56; Brau Boirie 54, Taccola 71, Llaveria 77, Jabea...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Miscellaneous

/ 3 months ago

Dark clouds hanging over selection of duo

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN EVERY member of a France team must contribute to preserving an exemplary image,” reads the opening paragraph...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Miscellaneous

/ 3 months ago

Century of highs for La Rochelle

FRENCH COLUMN JAMES HARRINGTON AN IMPRESSIVE milestone at Stade Marcel Deflandre was reached last night, where La Rochelle hosted their 100th...

By The Rugby Paper Team

International Rugby

/ 4 months ago

France won’t play All Blacks in USA

French Column - By James Harrington The FFR has rejected a proposal from New Zealand to relocate the third Test of...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 5 months ago

Ollivon proves point (whatever he says)

By JAMES HARRINGTON France.................... 37pts Tries: Flament 9, Villiere 33, Penalty 36, Bielle-Biarrey 58 Conversions: Ramos 9, 33, 58 Penalties: Ramos...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Autumn Internationals

/ 5 months ago

France fight back to snatch thriller against All Blacks

By James Harrington France................ 30pts Tries: Buros 32, Boudehent 44, Bielle-Biarrey 51 Conversions: Ramos 33, 45, 52 Penalties: Ramos 7, 57,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Autumn Internationals

/ 5 months ago

France too strong for spirited Japan

By James Harrington France................52pts Tries: Bielle-Biarrey 4, 28; Gailleton 10, Roumat 19, Mauvaka 34, Gros 42, Boudehent 54, 65 Conversions: Ramos...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 7 months ago

Henry Chavancy notches No. 400 for Racing 92

French Column - By James Harrington Racing 92’s veteran centre Henry Chavancy reached a remarkable career milestone on Saturday when he...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 8 months ago

Carbonel will add the flair for Stade

James Harrington French column Last season, Stade Francais finished second in the Top 14 to qualify directly for the semi-finals –...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 8 months ago

Racing 92 confirm Le Garrec is leaving

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN On the move: Scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec will be joining La Rochelle PICTURE: Getty Images YES, it’s...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 8 months ago

Mehrtens reported to lead group out to buy Beziers

JAMES HARRINGTON LESS than two weeks before the new ProD2 season kicks off, overseas buyers have officially submitted a bid to...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 9 months ago

Time for players to behave properly

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN There are no ‘good’ responses to Melvyn Jaminet’s violently racist outburst on social media, or the serious...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 10 months ago

Jalibert is top of the ‘wanted’ list again

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Never mind that the words ‘Stade Toulousain’ have only just been meticulously punched into the plaque on...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 10 months ago

Terrific Toulouse go on the rampage

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN “We didn’t just lose the arm wrestle – we had our wrists broken under the table,” Bordeaux...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 10 months ago

Ntamack makes sure for Toulouse

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN RONAN O’Gara must be wondering what he has to do for his La Rochelle side to beat...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Club Rugby

/ 10 months ago

Carbonel winner ensures last-gasp Montpellier survival

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN THE English Football League’s Championship play-off final is sometimes referred to as ‘the richest game in football’,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 10 months ago

Hogg has eyes set on Top 14 surprise

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Stuart Hogg’s reported surprise reverse-ferret back into the professional game after his retirement last year – and...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 11 months ago

Gopperth misses out on top flight

FRENCH COLUMN By JAMES HARRINGTON Jimmy Gopperth won’t be the oldest-ever player to feature in the Top 14 next season after...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 11 months ago

TV deal hits the €700m jackpot

By JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Jeroboams of champagne all round at Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) headquarters earlier this week, after...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 11 months ago

Dramatic finale puts Brive into play-offs

By JAMES HARRINGTON The ProD2 supplied a final glorious regular-season round for the ages in a perfectly timed reminder to broadcasters...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 11 months ago

I may sell Toulon for €1 – Lemaitre

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN A matter of weeks after ProD2 strugglers Biarritz were sold for €1, Toulon owner Bernard Lemaitre suggested...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 12 months ago

Biarritz’s fight for survival goes on

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Ten days ago, under-new-management ProD2 strugglers Biarritz gave themselves what looked a lot like a crucial safety...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 12 months ago

Record crowds flock to matches

JAMES HARRINGTON - FRENCH COLUMN More people than ever are flocking through the turnstiles of Top 14 and ProD2 matches, according...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 12 months ago

JIFF looks likely to play a vital role

JAMES HARRINGTON - FRENCH COLUMN It's logical – as the final stop-start sprint in a hard-fought Top 14 season begins –...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Biarritz’s future is back in its hands

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN To the relief of fans, white smoke was finally seen over the stand tops of Biarritz’s Parc...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

TV deal to break €500m barrier

FRENCH COLUMN - JAMES HARRINGTON France's Ligue Nationale de Rugby hopes to pocket more than half-a-billion euros, after launching a call...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Top 14

/ 1 year ago

Toulon will have to wait for Carbonel

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN LOUIS Carbonel’s immediate Top 14 future is in Montpellier. The question is: for how long? The Toulon-born...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Toulon heading in right direction

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN TOULON coach Pierre Mignoni earned something of a reprieve this weekend, as his side’s 54-7 win over...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Toulouse and Stade in line for a race to glory

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The top two tiers of French domestic rugby have been on hiatus this weekend, giving fans a...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Oyonnax have to keep on believing

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Oyonnax manager Joe El-Abd promised last week that his side would ‘fight to the end’ following their...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Big clubs are hit by ‘doublon’ clashes

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN We always knew the World Cup would play havoc with the Top 14 season – as soon...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 1 year ago

Big two leading charge

JAMES HARRINGTON STADE Francais and reigning champions Toulouse look set to continue their twohorse race for top spot with both victorious...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 1 year ago

Collazo may risk all to beat the drop

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN It is a truth universally accepted in French domestic rugby that the side propping up the Top...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Toulon need to win over the critics

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Sometimes it’s not immediately obvious whether a side is in good shape or not. A simple look...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Calvet’s likely to step in at Agen

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN France Under-20s coach Sebastien Calvet has emerged as favourite to replace Bernard Goutta on the conveyor-belt of...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Davidson relief as Castres stop rot

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The afternoon after the Friday-night chastening Six Nations defeat in Marseille before, a subdued French rugby audience...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Six Nations

/ 1 year ago

Galthie looking for mix of renewal and continuity

Six Nations team-by-team previews: France James Harrington anticipates an Era of Expectation from the side who stalled at the World Cup...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Lyon get it right against Perpignan

JAMES HARRINGTON In a league featuring the likes of Racing 92 and Toulouse, Toulon and La Rochelle, Bordeaux and Stade Francais,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Lucu the man to replace Dupont

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN An email drop and social media flurry confirmed the line-up of France’s 34-player training squad for the...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

No rush to get Tuilagi involved

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Something of a big deal was made last week about the fact that, a matter of days...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Farrell’s future the only talk in town…

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Fabien Galthie will have a reduced training squad for the 2024 Six Nations after a player release...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Simmonds is facing a fight for survival

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN THE final weekend of 2023 – and we’re almost at the halfway point of the Top 14...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

O’Gara’s problems keep on coming

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Australian hooker Tolu Latu went straight into La Rochelle’s matchday squad for pre-Christmas trip to Stade Francais,...

By The Rugby Paper Team