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France's Monday morning meeting: 'I was frankly shocked'
By Ian Cameron
France’s tour of Argentina and Uruguay was overshadowed by the off-field behaviour of three squad members and was described as a “collective trauma” by centre Antoine Frisch.
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The problems began after France beat Argentina 28-13 in the opening Test in Mendoza. The next day fullback Melvyn Jaminet was removed from the squad after posting an Instagram story expressing violent intentions.
Two days later Argentine authorities began investigating forwards Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou over an alleged sexual assault in Mendoza. They were formally charged with aggravated rape.
Lawyers for the victim have said that she suffered wounds to her face, back, breasts, legs and ribs, as well as bite and scratch marks following the ordeal and she was raped at least six times.
Coach Fabien Galthie had given both forwards their debuts as starters in the first Test.
“We had a meeting on Monday evening and Fabien Galthie and the staff explained the situation to us, all together, at the hotel,” former Munster centre Frisch told AFP.
“I was frankly shocked. There are so many emotions: you’re worried, you’re stressed,” said the Test debutant. “It’s hard to find the words. It’s a collective trauma.
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“I’ve never experienced anything like it… It was very difficult emotionally, psychologically and mentally. Preparing for a match like that was definitely complicated.”
Frisch said France had mental health professionals ready to talk to the players.
“Yes, we had our mental trainers who were available if we needed to talk. After that, everyone experiences it differently. There are some who prefer not to talk about it. There are some who need to express themselves.”
France had beaten Uruguay 43-28 midweek but went on to lose the second Test to Argentina 25-33 in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
“It certainly had a real impact on our preparation, that’s for sure.”
“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “We talked to each other, kept to ourselves and stuck together. There was the French football team match and we watched it together.”
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“As the week progressed, there was an international match to play. We were forced to switch to that.”
Captain Baptiste Serin echoed the words of Frisch: “It’s been a very complicated week,” said Serin after the 33-25 defeat which left the series tied at 1-1.
“But it was an international match and there was only one thing that motivated us, only one thing we could control, and that was what we could give on the pitch.
“And we gave it everything we had.”
What happens on tour never stays on tour….
I am not going to judge whether the attack occurred as stated or whether there are other issues at play, there’s not enough information to say one way or another.
However, I blame the French team staff for not having a “watcher” or security staff at the hotel lobby at all times. When you see two players of 20 and 21 years of age walking in with a woman almost twice their age, what is the “reasonable expectation”? No one to prevent a potential disaster? No one asking questions?