An employment tribunal in Toulouse is set to rule on February 14 whether the former coach is entitled to compensation. Noves, whose record as France coach was seven wins in 21 matches over two years, is claiming €2.9m in back pay on his reported €800,000-a-year contract, plus 1,800 hours overtime and damages. That victory, almost 14 years to the day ago, came a week after England, under Andy Robinson, had lost 11-9 in Cardiff. There is no wonder, then, that Laporte was justifiably lacking in confidence about French chances in the tournament. READ MORE: Ellis Genge and Harry Williams dropped from England squad for France testFrom that title-winning squad Demba Bamba and Romain Ntamack have already made their senior debuts.

Source: Irish Examiner February 08, 2019 05:15 UTC