Peter Malone ready for step-up

Peter Malone has coached a winning side in France before, but tonight in Narbonne will be different. He knows that.

It’s was last April when an U19s side he was involved with faced their French counterparts over four days in the sprawling national academy that is Marcoussis. A three-point win for the visitors was followed by a heavy defeat to a peeved set of hosts.

He can still remember the “pretty nasty hotel” they were billeted in outside of Paris and how the tears flowed in the opposing ranks during the rendition of the French national anthem – for a virtual friendly in front of 200 people.