The Beast of Bezier broke the mould

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points

French rugby said goodbye this week to the toughest guy in the meanest pack their club championship has ever seen. Which is saying something. Alain Esteve was the man and Beziers that club. Esteve died on Tuesday, aged 77, after a long illness that had sadly seen him diminish physically but not in reputation. Bill McLaren’s original man mountain he was also known variously as the Beast of Bezier and the Eiffel Tower on account of his height which officially was 2.01m (6ft 7ins). For jus...

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