Peter Jackson: Saracens are praying for Paris

Thierry Dusautoir will probably have heard of Vince Lombardi, the revered American football coach whose treasure-trove of homespun sayings includes one of striking relevance to the shattered captain of France: ‘’It’s not whether you get knocked down. It’s whether you get back up.’’

Dusautoir has been getting back up now for 10 seasons but never in such ghastly circumstances for his country and for humanity.

Amid terrifying uncertainty, it would have been understandable had Toulouse asked for a postponement of their engagement in north London on humanitarian grounds.