How French are the French
Foreigners have been a problem for soccer for years and could be detrimental to rugby sides as well.
We are going to start with French clubs, the big payers. We shall go through positions and see what the availability to the national side is.
We shall start at the props. After all every prop will tell you that that is where rugby starts – and ends!
We shall run down the Top 14 clubs' props and see how many are eligible to play for France.
Club, Number of Props, Eligible for France and Foreigners
Agen: 9 props – 3 France eligible, 6 Foreign (Cameroon, Canada, Georgia, Ireland, Samoa, South Africa)
Brive: 8 props – 4 France eligible, 4 foreign (3 Georgia, South Africa)
Bordeaux-Bègles: 8 props – 3 France eligible, 5 foreign (Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain)
Castres: 8 props – 4 France eligible, 4 foreign (Argentina, 2 New Zealand, Romania)
Clermont: 7 props – 6 France eligible (one a Belgian, one a South African), 1 foreign (Georgia)
Grenoble: 8 props – 4 France eligible, 4 foreign (Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Tonga)
La Rochelle: 8 props – 6 France eligible (one a New Zealander), 2 foreign (2 Georgia)
Montpellier: 8 props – 4 France eligible, 4 foreign (Georgia, 3 South Africa)
Oyonnax: 8 props – 4 France eligible, 4 foreign (Czech Republic, Georgia, Romania, Tonga)
Pau: 7 props – 4 France eligible, 3 Foreign (Georgia, New Zealand, Scotland)
Racing-Métro: 8 props – 5 France eligible, 3 foreign (Italy, though he is really an Argentinian, Georgia, New Zealand)
Stade Français: 9 props – 3 France eligible, 6 foreign (Australia, 3 Georgia, Samoa, South Africa)
Toulon: 7 props – 4 France eligible, 3 foreign (Australia, England, though he really is a South African, Georgia)
Toulouse: 7 props – 2 France eligible, 5 foreign (Georgia, New Zealand, Samoa, 2 South Africa)
Totals
Props: 110
France eligible: 56
Foreign: 54
By Country
16: Georgia's
10: South Africa
7: New Zealand
3: Australia, Samoa
2: Argentina, Ireland, Romania, Tonga
1: Cameroon, Canada, Czech Republic, England, Italy, Scotland, Spain
Photo: Prop Martín Castrogiovanni, an Argentinian who plays internationally for Italy and at club level in France after playing in England
