sport news Dan Biggar relishing new life in the South of France having joined Toulon in ... trends now
Standing on his terrace atop the Carqueiranne hillside, Dan Biggar is looking out towards the sailing boats as they catch the sunset cruise down on the ocean. It is the perfect spot to watch the world go by, with views across the Cote d’Azur. St Tropez is 30 miles to the east and the Stade Mayol is an eight-mile drive to the west.
‘The boys back home will give me stick when they see these photos,’ he says, posing in his new surroundings. ‘But the same boys will be asking to come over for a free holiday!’
Every now and then, small planes buzz overhead from the local airport where Biggar landed to sign his contract. The red carpet was rolled out to finalise his move from Northampton.
Dan Biggar is relishing his new surroundings in the picturesque Carqueiranne having joined Toulon
‘They flew us in on a private jet,’ he says. ‘Me and my wife, Alex, had a glass of champagne on the flight home when it was signed. Champagne and Pringles! It sounds pretentious but it was a cool experience. I’m not going to apologise. I’ve worked my balls off my whole career and deserve something nice.’
Leaning over the balcony, sipping on tea, he breaks into a laugh.
‘So I flew out and signed up to this lifestyle. South of France. And then the next time I came over, I was on the 6am EasyJet flight from Cardiff to Marseille, via Amsterdam, checking into the Holiday Inn in the pouring rain!’
The rainfall has made way for sparkling winter sun. A French vocabulary book is on the table, as he becomes familiar with the language and embarks on a fresh challenge in Toulon.
Wales fly-half joined the French giants after four years with Northampton Saints in England
He did not make any bones about the impact France's higher salary cap had on his decision
‘I’ve been watching Lupin on Netflix in French, with English subtitles,’ he says. ‘My French teacher told me that’s a good way to learn so I’m a few episodes into the first series. Otherwise I just stick on Tipping Point! It’s so far out of my comfort zone in terms of the language and trying to put my stamp on a team.
'I have got two and a half years here. That’ll take me until I’m 35 and then I’ll see what’s what. This last couple of months have taught me that anything can happen; the way the Premiership and the Welsh regions are. It’s been a whirlwind. Things changed quickly and we’re fully invested to make it a success on and off the pitch.’
Biggar’s young family will join him in France in April, in time for his son James to enrol at the international school for the summer term. In the meantime, the 32-year-old’s new neighbours have made him feel at home, pointing him in the direction of the international supermarket where he can stock up on Heinz tomato ketchup. There are a few familiar faces close by.
‘Freddie Michalak lives 10 minutes away and his wife’s from Australia, so she obviously speaks perfect English,’ he says. ‘I’ve always been a fan of Freddie because he signed my Wales shirt when I was 12 years old! I have a photo with Freddie that’s boxed away somewhere in the garage back in Wales!’
Bobby Stridgeon, the Wales strength and conditioning coach, also lives a couple of blocks away and calls in for dinner during the interview. He listens in as his old friend discusses the growing exodus of players to France, including Jack Willis, Sam Simmonds and Luke Cowan-Dickie.
