Finding rugby fame in France

Six Nations Grand Slam holders France could well challenge for the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand - thanks to the influx of foreign players.

Former France loose-forward Eric Melville - who grew up in Cape Town and played for Villagers and Western Province B - believes that France, who are notoriously erratic when they play on foreign soil, have benefited from the arrival of overseas players in their domestic leagues.

"In the past players always had this big deal about playing at home or away. The foreigners have now realised that the difference isn't that big. It's (about) a change of attitude," says Melville, who played for Toulon and won six caps for France in the early 1990s

Toulon, captained by Joe van Niekerk, are a classic example of this: they lost their two home games at their fortress-like home ground, the Stade Mayol, but had success away to Biarritz and La Rochelle in the opening stages of this season's Top 14.

The former Rondebosch schoolboy and Villagers first-team player now coaches the Federale 1 (third division) side Dijon in the Cote-d'Or region.

Dijon is famous for its cuisine, fine wine and mustard but Melville retains his family home on the outskirts of Toulon on the south coast. He managed Toulon Rugby Club for a season in 2000, a few years after ending his playing career.

Melville later turned down the chance to work with former player and coach Tana Umaga, citing differences in rugby philosophy with the club's extremely wealthy and famous owner, comic-book millionaire Mourad Boudjellal, as the main reason for the decision.

"I disagree with fundamental things he believes in when it comes to the game. Rugby's based on values and to me he lacks some of those," says Melville who admits to being headstrong and difficult at times.

"Even if the game is professional, you need simple things like respect and humility and I don't think that he's got any of those. Maybe I'm old school, but I think that they're just as valid today as they were in years gone by.

"I don't say that he's wrong and I'm right, but I know a lot of things on the inside. For instance, the way he treats people as objects, even the guys on good money.

"Well, I just disagree with his philosophies. At the end of the day, he's got the team to be successful though. So it's worked for him."

The opportunity to play Test rugby for Les Bleus at Parc de Princes and in Nantes, Brisbane, Sydney and Colorado Springs was a bonus for Melville, who grew up in sight of Newlands in Cape Town.

"I had come over to play club rugby and I was fortunate that Jacques Fouroux, who was the French national coach at the time, said that if I take French nationality, he'd play me.

"It was nice to read that and then a couple of people at the club (Toulon) said they would help me to get nationality.

"It took a while but, sure enough, he played me. I wasn't exactly young (Melville was 29) at the time, but it was fantastic and I was really glad and proud to represent France.

"I played all my senior rugby in France anyway and I was quite moved to be the first foreigner to ever play for them. I had become French and it was a great experience."

Melville and his wife Renee - who met when they were in their early teens - love France and what it's offered them over the years. Their daughters study in the US and Toulon respectively and their young son recently started playing for the Dijon youth team.

They don't return to SA as often as they'd like, but Melville did take an under-20 regional side on a tour to Pretoria and Johannesburg recently.

But nothing is cast in stone. Melville says he is always open to the "right opportunity" coming along.