French Rugby Club

News: Hernandez 'agreed' to join Toulon; Perpignan's Hines close to Leinster switch - Sun 05 July 2009 23.05

Argentina’s Juan Martin Hernandez had verbally agreed to join Toulon before deciding to sign for South Africa’s Natal Sharks, according to reports in France. Rugbyrama.com says Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal was so confident of securing ‘El Mago’ that he even informed his staff on Monday night that Hernandez would be joining...

News: Bastareaud 'attempted suicide' by throwing himself in the River Seine - Wed 01 2009 10.05

Media reports in France are claiming that shamed international Mathieu Bastareaud had to be rescued from the River Seine after an apparent suicide attempt. Newspapers say the 20-year-old jumped into the Paris river at the weekend as controversy continued to rage over his lies that he was assaulted by four to five men in Wellington, New Zealand. The hulking centre subsequently retracted the claims after police confronted him with CCTV evidence showing that he walked into the team hotel uninjured in any way. Bastareaud went on to say that he had cut his cheekbone after falling down drunk in his hotel room, a claim that has also been disputed by sections of the media...

News: Parisse picks up eight-week ban; Hernandez considers leaving Stade Francais - Mon 29 June 2009 19.45

Italy captain Sergio Parisse has picked up an eight-week ban for eye-gouging during his team’s 27-6 defeat to New Zealand at the weekend. The Stade Francais player was punished after being found guilty of making contact with the eyes of All Blacks lock Isaac Ross. Television footage was used to prove the case and the international disciplinary panel subsequently slapped him with an eight-week ban despite concluding he had not acted intentionally. The fact Ross was not injured helped in mitigation as a standard 12-week ban was reduced down to eight, but it still means that Parisse will be ineligible to play for Stade Francais until September 26...

International: Dupuy set for France call-up; Australia's Gower gets nod for Italian job - Tues 19 May 2009 21.18

Leicester’s want-away scrum-half Julien Dupuy is expected to be the only newcomer when France coach Marc Lièvremont names his summer touring squad today. Dupuy has been in outstanding club form of late – helping Leicester to the Guinness Premiership title and the final of the Heineken Cup – and would make a logical replacement for the injured Sebastien Tillous-Borde. He will fight it out with Bourgoin’s Morgan Parra for the starting position...