The new France defence coach will not need to browse Flaubert in the native language but he will require the basic foundations of French. So why does the sport not expect similar linguistic standards from its referees? Edwards returns to Cardiff on February 22 for the Wales v France match. Matthew Carley referees this game, and if he repeats the performance he gave in Saturday’s European encounter between Clermont Auvergne and Ulster, France will be severely disadvantaged. If Carley uttered a sentence of French it was beneath his breath.

Source: The Times January 13, 2020 00:00 UTC