Neil Back

French tests

Thu Oct 15 02:24PM

There is always something special about playing in Europe, especially when you have an away match in France.

Although there is plenty of passion and intensity in the Guinness Premiership, it is of a different kind when you play in France.

We failed to get a win at Bourgoin last weekend, but it was a terrific experience for everyone at Leeds Carnegie and a good distraction from the challenges we face in the league.

In France there is so much drama around a game, the crowds are loud and colourful, and you also need to adapt to the later kick offs. Fans clapping while a kick on goal is being taken is another thing players need to get used to.

Obviously we manage our own nutrition when we are playing away, but even then you cannot avoid getting French bread, cheese and ham, which is no bad thing but again different to what we get back home.

Don't get me wrong, we were very well looked after in Bourgoin - as we were on our pre-season trip - but there is a cultural difference you have to deal with, though I think it is also an experience all the players genuinely enjoy.

The French can't do enough for you and, as I said, they look after teams superbly well - until they get on the pitch that is. Then all the hospitality disappears for 80 minutes.

I can remember during my playing days entering French pitches through cages, and fans would often be on top of the cage screaming and swearing at you, sometimes even spitting. It is very, very passionate.

Unfortunately we went down again in Bourgoin, though I am not too disheartened because we proved that we can mix it with top teams in Europe, as we have done in the Premiership.

We were disappointed to come away with nothing because we genuinely think we played well enough to have won it. We were 23-6 down at the break but won the second half 13-6, and created so many scoring chances, despite playing 20 minutes with just 14 men.

There is no doubt in my mind that we deserved more from the game and that's why our review process was positive this week. Again, I don't think the scoreline accurately reflected the small margin between the teams.

We have another European Cup game this weekend and are targeting a win over Parma. It's a game we should win, but we've done our homework on the Italians and it is clear they know what they're doing, so we won't be taking them lightly.

After Treviso's excellent win over Perpignan last week it is even more clear that there are no easy games in Europe any more.

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