SINCE signing for their respective French clubs, former Jed-Forest pair Neil McIlroy and Lee Smith have had mixed fortunes. Recent developments mean that as McIlroy now looks to the challenge facing Nice, for Smith, the dream of building a career in France is over.
Unable to command a first- team place at Beziers, Smith also had difficulty in assimilating into life in the Languedoc, particularly when one of the few English speaking players at the club, former Harlequins centre Spencer Bromley, recently spent some time at home recovering from injury. The offer of a contract from Waterloo proved too tempting and Smith has now signed for the Liverpool side.
For McIlroy, however, things are looking up. Having notched a first Elite 1 win - ironically against Beziers - Nice are hopeful of building on that success to preserve their top-flight status via the play-offs, which will decide which two of the 24 teams are relegated. ''The victory was great for moral as Beziers are second in our group,'' said McIlroy.
There are developments on the horizon which are likely to occupy the thoughts of the former Reivers prop over the next few months. On the rugby front, the possibility of becoming part of the proposed Med-iterranean super club has moved a step closer. The outcome of discussions concerning its make up will clarify his longer-term prospects on the other side of the Channel.
A decision on his future is likely to be made within the next six weeks and may hinge on the level of financial support given to the new club.
On the domestic front, he plans to fly home to be with his wife for the birth of their first child in February.
On matters of a disciplinary nature, McIlroy, an ever present in the Nice side, has learned the implications of the yellow card he picked up for reacting to a head butt from his opposite number during a recent cup tie. As he pointed out, it is important not to fall foul of the referee again. ''I have to keep my nose clean because a second yellow card for anything deemed to be malicious is treated by the club the same as a red card.''
On the subject of the men in the middle, the French refereeing fraternity have reacted angrily, if somewhat predictably, to being overlooked for the allocation of Five Nations matches. The only official to be involved, Didier Mene, has insisted that if the situation is not reviewed, he will refuse to act as linesman in the two matches for which he has been appointed.
The referees have also reacted angrily to the suggestion that the French referees are paying for the indiscipline of clubs such as Toulouse during this season's European competitions.
Despite the disappointment of the Scottish sides in Europe there will, after all, be a Caledonian presence in the latter stages. In the Shield, Mark McKenzie was on target with three conversions from three attempts and Jim McLaren played the 80 minutes as Bourgoin beat Agen, while Gregor Townsend was selected at full back for Brive's win over Caerphilly.
The semi-final draw has thrown up an intriguing clash between the pair, the first time any of the Scots have been opposed to each other. The quarter-finals also featured the image of Chuck Muir refereeing the cup semi-final between Stade-Francais and Pontypridd in Paris wearing the orange and navy SRU strip, an outfit which looked understated alongside the Parisiens in their blue shirts adorned by garish red-and-white zigzags.
There was a meeting on Tuesday with the 14 top English clubs and several French officials including league president Serge Blanco to discuss developments. If French Federation president Bernard Lapasset is to be believed, however, the future has been decided. He claims that contact has been made by the presidents of several Southern Hemisphere federations with France to discuss a Worldwide competition to be launched in the year 2000.
Colin Renton
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