Rugby: French villain Mathieu Bastareaud now captain-elect for NZ tour

  • 24/05/2018
Mathieu Bastareaud
French centre Mathieu Bastareaud. Photo credit: Getty

France midfielder Mathieu Bastareaud is a changed man according to former Counties and French international centre Tony Marsh.

The 29-year-old Bastareaud is one of 32 players named in the squad for next month's three-test series against the All Blacks and is widely expected to captain the side. 

Coach Jacques Brunel has chosen to rest regular skipper Guilhem Guirado and Wenceslas Lauret.

Bastareaud is notorious in New Zealand for an incident back in 2009, when he lied about being attacked in Wellington. He claimed he had been assaulted, but a police investigation found that he fell over in his hotel room. 

He said he had panicked and concocted the story to avoid getting in trouble with team management.

"We remember him for his off-field antics in 2009, but nine years have passed," Marsh told Trackside radio. 

"He captained the French team in the last Six Nations game against Wales, so a lot of positive talk around him at the moment is that he stepped up, he has taken that role and the team has seen the leader and one they can look up to." 

That 2009 tour was also the last time France beat the All Blacks, when they claimed a 27-22 win at Carisbrook. Since then, New Zealand has won 11 straight tests. 

Brunel will be without several players for the first test on June 9, with the Top 14 club final scheduled for June 2. 

"We have to remember here that they do have a very long season and it is hard to be at the top of your game year in, year out," says Marsh, who played 21 games for France between 2001-04. 

"Quite often you will find guys are carrying injuries, and they want to stay at home and look after themselves, and focus on next season with the Rugby World Cup next year."

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