France want regular Lions games

BBC News

5 days ago

Third Test: Australia v British and Irish LionsDate: Saturday 2 August Venue: Accor Stadium Kick-off: 11:00 BSTCoverage: Live text commentary and post-match analysis on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC iPlayer and online
The French Rugby Federation wants to "build something for the long term" with the British and Irish Lions in addition to the proposed warm-up matches for the inaugural women's tour in 2027 and the men's trip to New Zealand in 2029.The strength of the club game in France and the chance for Lions fans to follow the team at relatively low cost has increased calls for it to be added to the Lions calendar."We start with this, but I don't want it to be just one shot," FFR vice-president Abdelatif Benazzi told BBC Sport about discussions around the 2027 and 2029 fixtures."I think we can build something for the long term."Former France forward Benazzi and Nicolas Hourquet, the FFR's director of international relations, met Lions officials in Dublin last month before the touring side's warm-up match against Argentina.Lions chief executive Ben Calveley subsequently said he could "certainly understand" the excitement around a possible tour of France."What's not to like about some of those wonderful clubs you could play against and some of those wonderful venues?" Calveley added.
During the current tour of Australia, Lions officials put pressure on the Wallabies to release more high-profile international players for the tour matches amid concerns about how competitive they would be.The Lions beat Australia's four Super Rugby teams by an average of 27.5 points, before sealing a series win with victory in the first two Tests against the Wallabies.Benazzi says France has no intention of disrupting the usual rotation of Lions tours, which alternate between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa every four years.Instead he hopes the new global calendar, that begins next year with the first edition of the biennial Nations Cup, will create opportunities."Of course, we don't touch the legacy in the south - you keep that," added Benazzi."We have a lot of projects. We want to see what to expect with the United States - maybe we have a possibility to play there - maybe in Paris or London. We are just thinking about ideas."If you have a link between two institutions then it's easier to project what we want to do - a warm-up before the tour, a special game maybe every four years as well, in our own countries or outside for development of the game."A full-scale Lions tour of France is an enticing prospect.France's national team, who won this year's Six Nations, are the strongest they have been for a generation.At club level, Toulouse, Bordeaux-Begles and La Rochelle have won the past five editions of the Champions Cup, while the likes of Toulon, Racing 92 and Clermont Auvergne also offer high-quality, multi-national squads and atmospheric venues.
Interest in rugby is strong and growing in the country, while the Lions and their fans could travel between matches more easily than in their traditional destinations.However, there are considerable political and logistical challenges.The Top 14 season runs until the end of June, eating into the potential window for a tour. It also puts a heavy workload on its players.As part of an agreement with their clubs, France tend not to select their top players during the summer, instead resting stars and developing depth.A second-string France side pushed New Zealand close in two of the three matches the teams contested this summer.However, Benazzi believes that a generation of players eager for new challenges and a revised approach to balancing the demands of France's clubs and national team can ease any problems."With the Nations Cup [in which summer results contribute to a team's final standings] starting, we're looking for the new model with the league and France," he said."We don't have only 25 players playing for the French team, we build 50 players around the project and everyone has the chance to compete and to play."We will find a balance between LNR and FFR."The youngsters now, they want something more than traditional games. They want to compete and to meet the big challenges. Now I think they would prepare for that [the Lions] like it was a World Cup."France scrum-half Nolann le Garrec, who played in all three Tests against New Zealand, travelled to Melbourne to watch the Lions' match against a First Nations and Pasifika XV on his way home.
If France do play the Lions, it would be for the first time since a 1989 fixture that was arranged to celebrate 200 years since the French Revolution.Benazzi, who won the first of 78 France caps the following year, says it is a rivalry that is overdue a revival."My generation missed a lot of things," he said. "Sometimes we come back to stay at home and missed the game of the world."I think we've lost a lot of time since 1989."The power of the Lions is amazing and we are, at the same time, so close to our neighbours, but so far from this legacy."If we start again with a respectable project for everyone, we can give our supporters and fans more dreams."