Biarritz - News, interviews, reports, analysis and opinion

Latest News

/ 3 weeks ago

Time to cut back on subs

BIARRITZ and Agen collided off the Bay of Biscay the other day, a routine fixture in the lower half of the...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Top 14

/ 3 months ago

Vannes voted most likely to top ProD2

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN AS SURE as oeufs are oeufs, the end of August coincides with the return of French men’s...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Columnists

/ 5 months ago

French Column: Mystery surronds Uzair Cassiem’s future

One-time Scarlets and Springbok back row Uzair Cassiem is at the centre of a transfer storm in France. The 35-year-old knew...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Columnists

/ 6 months ago

James Harrington: Back to the future again for Biarritz

The decision, when it came, was no great surprise. ProD2 side Biarritz, relegated for financial reasons shortly after the end of...

By James Harrington

Latest News

/ 6 months ago

Another bad day for sorry Grenoble

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN All action: Grenoble’s Julien Farnoux takes the fight to Perpignan at Stade des Alpes PICTURE: Getty Images...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 6 months ago

ProD2 climax to be shown on YouTube

AWAY from the troubles of Biarritz, there’s good news for British-based fans of French rugby’s second-tier ProD2 – it’s back on...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 6 months ago

Biarritz made to pay price – again

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN HISTORIC French rugby side Biarritz were relegated from the ProD2 on Monday for financial reasons, just over...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 7 months ago

FIVE CLASSIC CARDIFF FINALS

1996: Toulouse 21-18 Cardiff (aet) Toulouse were the better team but the kicking of Adrian Davies kept Cardiff in the game...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 9 months ago

Nice are planning a quick reversal

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Nice work: Former Wales fly-half Owen Williams PICTURE: Getty Images YOU may not have heard of Stade...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 9 months ago

Stade are willing to fight for Gustard

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN STADE Francais’ billionaire owner hinted last week that head coach Paul Gustard’s reported move to Leicester may...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 9 months ago

When Ireland’s warriors sent French packing

Rugby Matters - A weekly look at the game’s other talking points, by Brendan Gallagher With eight wins against France since...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Blindside - rugby transfers

/ 12 months ago

Alfie Petch on the move

Gloucester prop Alfie Petch has signed a short-term loan deal at Cornish Pirates. The 24-year-old played for the Pirates during 2022-23...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 12 months ago

Petch on the move

GLOUCESTER prop Alfie Petch has signed a short-term loan deal at Cornish Pirates. The 24-year-old played for the Pirates during 2022-23...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 12 months ago

Petch on the move

GLOUCESTER prop Alfie Petch has signed a short-term loan deal at Cornish Pirates. The 24-year-old played for the Pirates during 2022-23...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 12 months ago

Oyonnax must live without Joe El-Abd

By James Harrington Oyonnax’s seven-try 53-10 bonus-point win over ProD2 rivals Soyaux-Angouleme on Friday – their first victory since October 25...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Features

/ 1 year ago

Biarritz was truly a baptism of fire

MY LIFEIN RUGBY DAVID McILWAINE THE FORMER ULSTER, BRISTOL, DONCASTER & LEEDS FULL-BACK On the run: David McIlwaine playing for Bristol...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Carbonel will add the flair for Stade

James Harrington French column Last season, Stade Francais finished second in the Top 14 to qualify directly for the semi-finals –...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Time for players to behave properly

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN There are no ‘good’ responses to Melvyn Jaminet’s violently racist outburst on social media, or the serious...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Chris Hewett

/ 1 year ago

Another lesson from the French

CHRIS HEWETT Now that Vannes have made it into the top tier of French rugby and the people running things across...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 1 year ago

Team Brittany show what might have happened in Cornwall

RUGBY MATTERS GO west young man. The phrase, attributed to American newspaper editor Horace Greeley, became a byword for the expansion...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 1 year ago

Hogg has eyes set on Top 14 surprise

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Stuart Hogg’s reported surprise reverse-ferret back into the professional game after his retirement last year – and...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 2 years ago

Pink city deserves its place at the top

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER - A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Anybody watching the crowd scenes in front...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 2 years ago

Dramatic finale puts Brive into play-offs

By JAMES HARRINGTON The ProD2 supplied a final glorious regular-season round for the ages in a perfectly timed reminder to broadcasters...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 2 years ago

I may sell Toulon for €1 – Lemaitre

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN A matter of weeks after ProD2 strugglers Biarritz were sold for €1, Toulon owner Bernard Lemaitre suggested...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

New owners provide financial guarantees

BIARRITZ’S new owners this week provided French rugby’s financial watchdog with suitable guarantees of their finances, and revealed an eight-year plan...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 2 years ago

Biarritz’s fight for survival goes on

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Ten days ago, under-new-management ProD2 strugglers Biarritz gave themselves what looked a lot like a crucial safety...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Champions Cup

/ 2 years ago

Try-fest with big issues below the surface

The Paris Games, more formally known as the XXXIII Olympiad, are almost upon us and the Rugby Sevens schedule is full...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Super Rugby Pacific and Japanese Division One

/ 2 years ago

Hurricanes storm in despite triple yellow

Super Rugby Pacific round-up By BEN JAYCOCK Hurricanes overcame a poor second half in which they conceded three yellow cards to...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Chris Hewett

/ 2 years ago

We need Biarrtitz back to their best

SERGE Blanco, the finest full-back ever to grace the union game, spent his entire club career at Biarritz. So did the...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Paul Rees

/ 2 years ago

Time to create a new dynasty

Paul Rees looks at what Mark McCall needs to do at Saracens as several big names head for the exit door...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Brendan Gallagher

/ 2 years ago

André, high priest of French running rugby

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER A weekly look at the game’s other talking points Andre Boniface, who died earlier this week aged...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 2 years ago

Biarritz’s future is back in its hands

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN To the relief of fans, white smoke was finally seen over the stand tops of Biarritz’s Parc...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 years ago

Andre Boniface, the epitome of French flair

FRENCH rugby has paid tribute to one of its greats this week – Andre Boniface, who died at the age of...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Chris Hewett

/ 2 years ago

It’s all a difficult question of trust

Leicester's latest fine for salary cap irregularities – their second in as many years – throws up an interesting question or...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Champions Cup

/ 2 years ago

The day Crane had final word at Cardiff

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW The Millennium Stadium once staged a trio of penalty shoot-outs in four years...

By The Rugby Paper Team

My Life in Rugby

/ 2 years ago

I was thrilled to bits to be picked for England

My Life in Rugby with Magnus Lund - The former England, Sale and Biarritz flanker talks about his life in the...

By The Rugby Paper Team

World

/ 2 years ago

Joseph third player confirmed by Barbarian F.C. for Killik Cup encounter

Jonathan Joseph will pull on the famous black and white hooped jersey of Barbarian F.C. for the first time in his...

By Nick Powell

James Harrington

/ 2 years ago

Calvet’s likely to step in at Agen

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN France Under-20s coach Sebastien Calvet has emerged as favourite to replace Bernard Goutta on the conveyor-belt of...

By The Rugby Paper Team

James Harrington

/ 2 years ago

Davidson relief as Castres stop rot

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The afternoon after the Friday-night chastening Six Nations defeat in Marseille before, a subdued French rugby audience...

By The Rugby Paper Team