Rugby United New Yor

Bastareaud returning to France

The 31-year-old, who played 54 times for France and won three European Cup titles with Toulon, raised eyebrows when he quit Toulon for New York.

After playing just five games for the Major League Rugby side, the coronavirus pandemic saw the rest of the American season scrapped.

Bastareaud had a short stint with Lyon as a 'joker' at the start of this campaign, with the club missing players due to the World Cup in Japan.

"I wanted to discover something new abroad," said Bastareaud, who is expected to arrive in France in a few days' time.