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Fofana: 2019 Championship will be my last

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Talismanic France centre Wesley Fofana has revealed 2019 will be his last year of international rugby for Les Bleus.

Talismanic France centre Wesley Fofana has revealed 2019 will be his last year of international rugby for Les Bleus.

That means that the 2019 Guinness Six Nations – which gets underway next Friday when France host Wales – will be the final one for Fofana.

The 31-year-old has won 45 caps for his country since his debut back in 2012.

But in recent years injuries have plagued the Clermont man – he has only won one cap since November 2016.

But at his free-flowing best, he was one of the great sights in the modern game – bursting onto the scene with four tries in his first four matches in the 2012 Championship.

He backed that up with two more in the 2013 Championship but, with a Rugby World Cup in Japan on the horizon this autumn, Fofana is ready to call time on his international career.

He said: “It’s all pleasure now, I’m making the most of it because after the World Cup I will stop. I’m doing everything I can to be there, of course, and then I will retire from France.

“Even if I’m not picked for the World Cup, whatever happens, I’ll stop.

“For me it feels natural. I find it’s a good moment to stop. If it was just me, I wouldn’t think about it (he would continue). But I have signed a long-term contract with my club, I have my wife, my children. I want to experience something great until the World Cup, and then I can focus entirely on my club and my family.

“I’ve already spoken to lots of people about it, especially at the club. Once again, it seems natural. I want to pass on everything I can until the World Cup and after the youngsters will carry the torch, I’m not worried about them.”