SACRE BLEU

Hosts in sporting mourning after heartbreaking last tango in Paris

- Neil Squires

"RUGBY," the great France captain of the 1970s Jean-Pierre Rives said, "gave me a ticket to the moon." 

With a rocket trip, there is always the risk of crashing back down to earth, though.

Rives, who became a sculptor after retiring, was in sporting mourning with the rest of the nation yesterday after rugby union's greatest weekend finished in despair for Les Bleus.

The feeling of emptiness was palpable in Paris after a 29-28 defeat by South Africa. The temperature had plummeted and there was a sullen gloom in the air, with the spark that had accompanied the French team on their journey through the tournament now extinguished.

Le XV de France, in whom so much hope was invested, had left their own party a fortnight early.

For the heartbroken players, it had been almost too much to take.