Guilhem Guirado is confident he is in peak condition to start the new campaign as the France skipper prepares for his first match of the season this weekend.
The Toulon hooker missed the opening round of the Top 14, with the French internationals all absent as part of an agreement with the league, but is available to return this weekend against champions Clermont Auvergne.
The intention is to ensure the players arrive refreshed for the November Tests and the Six Nations, with an elite list having spent time at the FFR training base in Marcoussis over the summer.
That has meant a change of routine in pre-season, and while that took some getting used to, Guirado believes it will help Les Bleus in the long run.
He said: “It’s new, and as with anything it takes some time to adapt to lots of changes and the fact it’s on an individual level.
“We find ourselves working alone. But I’m happy because I’m starting fresh and I’ve also lost a few extra kilos from the summer.
“I’m happy I was able to work deeply because that is what is expected of us. By not going to Argentina with the rest of the squad, I worked at Toulon with Gilles Allou (a conditioning coach at Toulon), who worked with me as if I were on an individual programme. I also spoke to the French coaching staff.
“I was also able to make the most of my family, who I often leave behind because of rugby. It’s good to take a break because we’re not preparing for one match, it’s for a season.”
