It was lovely to receive more-than welcome praise from top brass at the Irish Examiner for this piece, my third – and the big one – in five days ahead of the Six Nations match between Ireland and France in Dublin.
Of course, Ireland schooled France on the day, but there really is hope for the future here – if Les Bleus get themselves a coach who can get the best out of some genuinely talented players.
Packing down in France’s ProD2 is a rite of passage for forward play. Little wonder it’s delivering readymade talent for the national side.
James Harrington: Freelance sports journalist 