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The French Sevens team has had a torrid World Series journey over the last few years – with their sole tournament win in 2005 a distant memory.

With limited access to players and the FFR seemingly showing a laissez-faire attitude to the abbreviated code, it’s not always been pretty viewing. The perhaps oversubscribed cliché that the thrills and spills sevens should suit the French game intensifies the frustration of their plight. But could things be changing with a new structure in place?

Former French Sevens international Julien Patey sheds some light...

Julien Patey

France has finally taken a major step.

Ahead of the two first legs of the HSBC Sevens World Series it seems the team will be starting another long season from scratch - again!

When people talk about France in the sevens world, the first words which predictably pop out their mouths is ‘French Flair’. That they can beat anyone on their day.

But let us start with explaining the background of sevens in France. All the professional players are contracted with clubs playing either Top14 or ProD2. Not a single player is contracted with the union, not even Sebastien Chabal or Yannick Jauzion.

The Ligue National Rugby (LNR) that take care of all the professional matters in French rugby, manages the two main divisions, the Top14 and ProD2. The Federation Française Rugby (FFR) is allowed to pick players from these divisions, but only for precise dates like Six Nations, November Internationals and Summer Tours. So far, the HSBC Sevens World Series is not one of these dates they take into consideration and that is why clubs can hold back players from being picked for sevens.

But things are going to change with the Olympic movement. Especially as France cannot stand for another dreadful World Series performance like we have seen over the past few years.

Indeed the FFR has decided to follow the example of South Africa, England and New Zeeland in their structures. They have shown that using a core group of players can produce results.

Change...finally!

We are talking here about the premise of professionalism in French Sevens.

We are still far away from having an entire squad signed by the union and it will be some time before we compete with the top nations. In fact, only 4 players, including Paul Albaladejo, have signed a contract with the union.

They will be exclusively dedicated to sevens and train all year at Marcoussis, the French national training centre. As the FFR is not able to pick players from Top 14 and ProD2, and to complete a 12 men squad the coach will pick players from Federale 1, the third division. Along with players form the Under-19 squad , they will be managed by the union.

That means that to start with the team will look very young and without much experience, excluding guys like Albaladego (still only 14 tournaments) and try-machine Renaud Delmas. But at least, the coach will have a strong foundation to build with. But some people might say that this won’t be enough.

We are only two years from the RWC Sevens where France will first need to compete in a strong qualification tournament along with Portugal, Russia, Italy, Ireland and Spain. And we’re only six years to go before the Olympics and with we’re still going to be behind the likes of England, Samoa, Portugal or South Africa.

It will be a tough task to have the level required to be a regular fixture in the latter stages of the Cup competitions of tournaments.

Does Skrela have the sevens nous?

Jean Claude Skrela is the Director of Elite Rugby for France. He has decide to develop sevens the way it should be – meaning sevens will have everything they’ll need (i.e. players!!) during the Series.

But so far Skrela has failed in the finding a 12-man professional squad before Dubai and George. So should we doubt his ability to manage turning sevens professional and his knowledge of this very specialist sport?

Unbelievably not a single former French sevens player is involved in any way such as Nicolas Leroux (former Worcester and Brive) or Franck Corrihons (former Grenoble and French Sevens).

We need to find our Paul Treu or a Benjamin Ryan. We need someone who knows about our sport, who knows how its work; who can find our Ben Gollings, Santiago Gomez Cora or Uale Mai.

Although there is a lot work to do still, the FFR already understood that it was necessary to act for our sport, but acting quickly is a totally different thing.

Julien Patey played for France at 20 IRB World Series tournaments including the RWC Sevens. He was part of the French team who won their only World Series tournament at Paris in 2005. He has played for Toulouse and Narbonne in the French Top 14.