France playmaker reveals desire to play at Super Rugby level

France and Toulouse fly-half Romain Ntamack has revealed his desire to make a move to the southern hemisphere one day to play for a Super Rugby club.

The 24-year-old, who was ruled out of the recent Rugby World Cup in France due to a serious cruciate ligament injury, said he would not mind playing for a club in Australia or New Zealand.

Attracted to Super Rugby

“It’s not necessarily relevant right away,” Ntamack told French radio station RTL. “But it’s true that the southern hemisphere has always attracted me.

“Since I was little, I’ve always watched Super Rugby.”

The 37-cap international, who sustained his knee injury during France’s Rugby World Cup warm-up win over Scotland in Saint-Etienne in August, was invited on RTL following the release of his autobiography “Le rugby dans le sang” (“Rugby in the blood”).

Ntamack’s presence was greatly missed by Les Bleus‘ during the global showpiece, and they eventually bowed out in the quarter-finals to eventual winners South Africa.

Despite the disappointment of that World Cup exit, Ntamack is adamant that Fabien Galthie is still the right man to lead France as their head coach.

“I think that with everything he has brought to this team over the last four years, even this elimination in no way calls into question all the work that has been done,” said Ntamack.

“He’s the man for the job, and there is obviously no debate about that.”

Signed contract extension

In the build-up to the Rugby World Cup, Galthie signed a contract extension that will keep him in his position until June 2028.

“He is the right person for the years to come,” French Rugby Federation president Florian Grill told AFP after the World Cup loss to the Springboks.

“The result of one night is not going erase four exceptional years.”

READ MORE: State of the Nation: Hosts France fail to deliver maiden World Cup title