French rugby bosses to turn the page after horror summer

PARIS : French rugby has had a terrible year off the field, and the sport's national authorities are prepared to improve discipline as Les Bleus prepare for their autumn series, which will culminate next month with a clash against New Zealand.

During their Argentina tour last July, fullback Melvyn Jaminet was sent home following a racist social media post before being suspended for six months, and Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou were charged with alleged rape.

Auradou and Jegou have both denied any wrongdoing and said the sex was consensual.

In August, Medhi Narjissi, part of the France under-18 team due to participate in a four-nation tournament in South Africa, was swept away by a rip tide while swimming with other players in a recovery session after training, and his body was not recovered.

The French federation (FFR) blamed the accident on the staff members on site. The staff denied any wrongdoing.

"It will be a series in a transformed frame with possible sanctions," Florian Grill, who last weekend was re-elected as FFR president, told Reuters.

"(Head coach) Fabien Galthie will ask that everything be based on trust, telling players and staff: 'there is a new frame, you're either in or you're out (of the squad). This will be non-negotiable.

"We cannot afford the mishaps we've had when we aim for the highest level, it's just not possible," Grill added.

Galthie told L'Equipe on Friday that alcohol would be banned, unless formally allowed by the staff.

Galthie and the France squad already came under fire in 2021 for breaking COVID-19 restrictions, and escaped sanctions.

"We are expecting from this team to be exemplary, to win and inspire the new generation and show certain values," former France international Thomas Lombard, a