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French international Benjamin Fall exits Montpellier after 'complicated' final season
By Online Editors
Former French international Benjamin Fall is leaving Montpellier after six seasons with the Top 14 side. Having signed in 2014, Fall represented the light blues 99 times and scored 16 tries. The 31-year-old was also capped 14 times by France in a career that spanned 2010 to 2018.
He wished Montpellier the best in an emotional statement.
"I wanted to thank from the bottom of my heart the MHR club, the president, the players, the staff, the various coaches, assistants, the intendants, the physiotherapists, the doctors, the stewards, the people of the back office, the cook, the coaches of the young categories, the volunteers, the supporters, the physical trainers, the staff of the brewery ... Jen surely forgets but a thousand thanks for everything.
"I have forged links with a lot of people in this club, in this city and to end up like that is a real heartbreak. But it is the life of a professional sportsman.
"I will have a word for each of the people I have come into contact with in this club during these 6 years which have been exceptional, rich in learning, positive or negative emotions, questioning, sharing, of laugh res, crying, doubts, advice etc ... I have never cheated, always given everything for this club. I hope I have demonstrated it. I came to Montpellier to win titles and to make the French team, things have been achieved and others not."
"I had promised myself to become champion of France with this club but this failure will remain in my throat. I wish the best for the club in the future and take down the precious shield that we have been able to touch during the 2018-2019 season. I hope I have left a good image despite this complicated last season."
Fall's career to date has had its fair share of injuries. Earlier in the week the former president of one of Fall's former clubs, Bayonne's Alain Afflelou, told Mid Olympique he was happy to let Fall go to Racing for "€400,00", due to what he saw as the back's propensity to get injured.
"In 2010, we had this young winger, Benjamin Fall, who had qualities. Racing got on it. Francis Salagoïty came to me and said to me: "What are we doing? Do we increase it? I replied, "This guy makes you six games a year. When he is not injured, he is in the France team. We will take the 400,000 euros from Racing and let it go. For him, and I regret it, the bad series continued in the Hauts-de-Seine and then in Montpellier."
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Latest Comments
I understand, but England 30 years ago were a set piece focused kick heavy team not big on using backs.
Same as now.
South African sides from any period will have a big bunch of forwards smashing it up and a first five booting everything in their own half.
NZ until recently rarely if ever scrummed for penalties; the scrum is to attack from, broken play, not structured is what we’re after.
Same as now.
These are ways of playing very ingrained into the culture.
If you were in an English club team and were off to Fiji for a game against a club team you’d never heard of and had no footage of, how would you prepare?
For a forward dominated grind or would you assume they will throw the ball about because they are Fijian?
A Fiji way. An English way.
An Australian way depends on who you’ve scraped together that hasn’t been picked off by AFL or NRL, and that changes from generation to generation a lot of the time.
Actually, maybe that is their style. In fact, yes they have a style.
Nevermind. Fuggit I’ve typed it all out now.
Go to commentsSouth African teams need to start prioritising the Champions Cup for sure. They need to use depth in the URC.
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