France must be warm at this time of year. That is the only explanation for hooker Julien Marchand's lack of upper body attire in the closing stages of Toulouse's Top 14 clash this afternoon.
The home side were upset 31-29 by Montpellier but the real talking point afterwards was that Marchand played the last few minutes without a jersey. And it's not as if he was able to blend in by wearing a layer of thermals.
No, he was shirtless. Surely this isn't allowed?
astuce pour ne pas te faire plaqsuer en tirnt sur le maillot pic.twitter.com/ODNuZTlL92
— philippe (@philousports) February 28, 2016
#Top14 Julien Marchand, de Toulouse, jugó los últimos minutos sin su remera. No alcanzó para equipo del Pato (29-31) pic.twitter.com/gEIjMjJhTm
— A Pleno Rugby (@aplenorugby) February 28, 2016
If you thought that French people wouldn't stoop to the level of Irish meme-makers in the aftermath, you would be wrong.
Julien Marchand, OKLM. pic.twitter.com/fZT8zYGO0r
— Boucherie Ovalie (@BoucherieOvalie) February 28, 2016
Not since Donncha O'Callaghan's heyday has a player showed such blatant disregard for sartorial conformity.
It really is a toss-up as to whose actions were more objectionable.
