Ex-Gala flanker Gary Graham helps Carcassonne to rugby’s French National Federal Championship title
Former Gala flanker Gary Graham helped Carcassonne secure promotion to French rugby’s second-tier Pro D2 with a National Federal Championship title play-off win against Chambery on Saturday.
Carcassonne finished the regular season third in their third-tier league on 92 points from 26 fixtures, six behind table-toppers Chambery, but they edged them out by 24-23 in their play-off in Narbonne to replace Stade Nicois in the next division up.
Their tries were scored by Raphael Carbou at the double and Yan Arnold, with Johnny McPhillips converting all three and also kicking a penalty.
Touching down for their opponents were Quentin Beaudaux, Tane Takulua and Arthur Nennig, with Arwel Robson adding a conversion and Thibaut Moreno two penalties.
Graham, at Carcassonne, in Occitania, since leaving Newcastle Falcons in 2023, is one of a near-handful of former Borders players now based in France also including Hawick’s Stuart Hogg at Top 14 Montpellier Herault, Melrose’s Rudi Brown at their rivals Vannes and his old teammate Finn Douglas at fellow Pro D2 outfit Valence Romans Drome.
Montpellier are eighth in their table, on 52 points from 24 fixtures, and Vannes are bottom, on 36 from 24. Romans finished eighth in theirs, on 64 from 30.
Now 32, Stirling-born Graham, son of former Gala and Hawick head coach George Graham, has been capped four times by Scotland since 2019.
Chambery remain in contention for promotion via a play-off with Pro D2 second-bottom side Aurillac.