|
'The epitome of French
coolness and class'
Photo: Eden Park |
On
the eve of France's Grand Slam showdown with England FRC
talks to former France fly-half (and Grand Slam winner)
Franck Mesnel.
Franck
Mesnel was once dubbed “the epitome of French coolness and
class”, and it’s certainly hard to refute that tribute,
although you won’t find him draped around an espresso in a
Paris café puffing away happily on a Gitanes. The coffee,
the café and Paris, yes, but smoking is not on the Mesnel
agenda.
He looks
as fit and fresh now, aged 48, as he did in his prime – and
what a prime! Mesnel trained as an architect but found
himself at the centre, or rather fly-half, of the now famed
back quintet at Paris side Racing Club de France (now known
as Racing-Metro 92) that gave birth to the sobriquet “Le
Showbizz” in the mid 1980s. Not satisfied with playing a
flair minded counter-attack game, the capital’s then number
one club also took to indulging in a number of “jokes” while
simultaneously engaged in all the seriousness that was and
remains French club rugby.
Read More...
