All Black Ben Smith made a slightly creepy Speight’s-or-champagne video announcement over his future in February 2017, selecting the New Zealand beer over the bubbly, to reveal he had turned down a contract offer in the Top 14 in favour of a new deal with New Zealand Rugby Union.
But it prompted me to write this article about why there will be fewer French raids on southern hemisphere rugby in the years to come – but the apparent good news comes with a warning…
James Harrington: Freelance sports journalist 