Will overseas players have an effect on the French national side

With the Top14 continuing to attract the best players from both hemispheres will the French national side struggle as a result.

Come the end of the World Cup in England, there will be a huge amount of players leaving behind their careers in the Super 15 to start a new chapter in the Top14. Without a doubt the French clubs are the richest in the world and they continue to spend huge amounts of money on signing the best players. Having the best players play in France will no doubt increase the popularity of the league but what sort of effect will it have on the French national side.

After the World Cup France will appoint a new coach with rumours suggesting that Guy Noves will end his 22 year stay at Toulouse to take over the reins at Les Bleus. He will have a difficult job on his hands considering that a lot of the French clubs will introduce their overseas players to the Top14 and as a result this could see French players having to settle for a place on the bench.

Last Saturday as Toulon lifted their third successive European Cup only four of the 15 who started the game were French. These are worrying signs as it is a sign of things to come with other clubs in France taking inspiration from Toulon’s success and splashing the cash to bring in the best players.

Let's look at some of the signings in the Top14 for next season such as Ma’a Nonu joining Toulon. As of now Wesley Fofana is the first choice inside centre for France but he if he is to fall victim to injury, Maxime Mermoz will step in to replace him. As of next season Mermoz looks likely to be Toulon’s third choice option at inside centre behind Nonu and Giteau. With Mermoz now looking likely to play few games for Toulon next season, if Fofana is to miss out through injury the next French coach will have a difficult decision whether to pick the best replacement available to him which is Mermoz or be forced to pick someone else because of Mermoz's lack of game time. The same can be said about Remi Tales and Scott Spedding. Tales will be joining Racing Metro while Spedding will be joining Clermont Auvergne. Tales and Spedding will have a job on their hands to get into the starting XV with Dan Carter and European player of the year Nick Abendanon looking certain to start for their respective clubs.

If Noves is appointed, picking his squad is going to be a very difficult task. Most international coaches will pick players who are starting week in week out for their clubs. With so many overseas players in France, will Noves be forced to pick players who are not even making matchday squads for their clubs.

Toulon may have brought dominance to club Rugby in France but their success could pave the way for future failures for the national side. Money has become a dominant force in France and now instead of relying on the development of young players, owners of these wealthy clubs are deciding to bring in talented players from the Southern Hemisphere to bring success to their clubs. Noves taking the French job might turn out to be him taking the poison chalice or can he turn the poison into sweet wine.

Ciaran Fallon