A new French rugby season kicks off on Saturday with a strong Scottish presence. Fourteen players from Scotland look set to be involved in the Top 14 as Toulouse look to take the title for an unprecedented fifth season in a row.
Blair Kinghorn has helped them win the last three and the Scotland full-back will be joined in the league this season by some more of his international team-mates, with Huw Jones and Adam Hastings both leaving Glasgow Warriors to join Toulon and Montpellier respectively.
Former Edinburgh players Ben Healy and Hamish Watson are also crossing the Channel while Dave Cherry, an ex-team-mate of theirs in the capital, will play in the top flight after helping Vannes win promotion.
There are two significant rule changes for the new French rugby season. Goal-kickers will now have only 45 seconds rather than 60 and the number of substitutions is being reduced from 12 to eight.
9. Huw Jones
Scotland and Lions centre Jones’ move to France is one of the headline transfers of the new season. He arrives at Toulon along with Gael Fickou who has joined from Racing and the pair offer their new club some brilliant midfield options. Injuries disrupted Jones’ final season at Glasgow but if he can stay fit he can help push last season’s European Champions Cup semi-finalists on to greater heights. | Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images Photo: AFP via Getty Images
10. Stuart Hogg
About to embark on his third season at Montpellier who tasted success last season when they beat Ulster in the European Challenge Cup final and then lost the Top 14 final to Toulouse. Hogg, 34, was in and out of the team as Achilles and thigh injuries disrupted him. Hogg admitted acting in an abusive manner towards his ex-wife when he appeared in court in 2024 and served a community payback order. | AFP via Getty Images Photo: AFP via Getty Images
11. Adam Hastings
Hastings, 29, ended his second spell at Glasgow Warriors last season and played his final match for the club in the URC semi-final defeat to the Bulls at Murrayfield in June. The stand-off now begins a new chapter in France with Montpellier having signed a two-year deal. They open their Top 14 campaign at home to Pau on Saturday. | SNS Group Photo: SNS Group
12. Jonny Gray
Switched clubs last season when he left European champions Bordeaux-Begles to join Perpignan. Gray, 32, played a key role as the Catalan club preserved their place in the top flight by beating Aix in the Top 14 access match after finishing second bottom in the regular season. The lock was part of Scotland’s summer squad for the Nations Championship, starting in the wins over Argentina and Fiji. | AFP via Getty Images Photo: AFP via Getty Images