French Rugby Season Kicks Off With Emotional Ceremony For Dead Player • Channels Television

The emotion was tangible on Sunday as French club Aurillac kicked off their league season with a tribute to Louis Fajfrowski, who died after a collision in a pre-season game.

There was a minute’s applause for the player, who died on August 10, before the home game against Oyonnax and fans unveiled a banner saying: “Always in our hearts.”

The game was originally scheduled for Friday but was switched to avoid a clash with the funeral.

There was also a minute’s applause in the other opening-round games in the division in tribute to both Fajfrowski and Pierre Camou, the ex-president of the French rugby federation, who died on Wednesday.

In the warm-ups in Aurillac, the home team wore…