France’s Top 14 sides have been welcoming back their international stars this week following their statutory rest periods.

For Stade Toulousain that has meant a huge swathe of their first team squad, but for one player in particular – Vincent Clerc – the return couldn’t come soon enough. The international winger missed the start of last season due to a knee injury, and he was clearly delighted to be there at the off this time around.

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“It went very well, it was cool,” he told rugbyrama. Trimmer and fitter than last season, Clerc said he had learnt the hard way after missing pre-season in 2008/9 but that he was returning a more confident player having toured with France during the summer.

“It helped me to see where I was,” admitted the 28-year-old. “Defensively or offensively I managed to keep up, but I saw I was still missing something. I’m slowly getting back to my best level but there is still work to do. I know I can do much better but I will work accordingly.”

And it’s not just his personal form which he is seeking to improve after a disappointing 2008/9 for dethroned champions Stade Toulousain.  “Our objectives are clear here. The first obligation is to do better than last year and therefore to win something,” said the golden footed winger.

The disappointment of last season, he added, was driving the squad hard in pre-season. “We did not obtain the title, we have not been effective and we did not take pleasure at the end of the season. I believe that this disappointment has given a fresh blow to the team. The team which played against Montpellier [in Friday’s 41-3 win] have demonstrated this during our first match. The aim is to have fun and therefore make progress.”

Fellow international Julien Bonnaire is making progress of another kind with the Clermont Auvergne flanker now recovering from an operation on a long-standing groin problem.

Bonnaire, 30, pulled out of France’s summer tour in an effort to recover through rest, but has now undergone surgery after the problem recurred during pre-season. He is expected to be out for up to 10 weeks.

“I hoped that the rest would be sufficient and that the pain stops but during the holidays the pain remained. Being operated is finally the best solution,” Bonnaire told La Montagne.

Coach Vern Cotter, meanwhile, has named a 27-strong squad for Friday’s friendly against Biarritz. Summer signings Willie Wepener, Morgan Parra, Lionel Faure, Kevin Senio and Scotland’s Jason White have all been included.

Elsewhere, Bayonne kick-started their pre-season friendlies with an encouraging 37-21 home win against the touring Brumbies. The French side outscored their visitors by six tries to three.

Brumbies coach Andy Friend described the match as a physical game. “It was a really tough game of football, a lot more ball movement there,” he said afterwards. “We were definitely beaten by a better side, but a good learn for us,” added Friend.

The Australian side, who lost 20-12 against Bourgoin on Friday, will now face Top 14 champions Perpignan on Saturday.

Basque neighbours Biarritz were also in action on Tuesday night, overcoming ProD2 side Pau 38-10 in their opening friendly of the pre-season. Biarritz effectively played two different teams, with wholesale changes at half-time enabling most of their squad to see some action.

Pau held on during a tight first half, which ended 7-3 to Biarritz, before the Basques cut loose after the interval. There were tries for Lesgourgues, Fabien Cibray (2) and Nicolas Brusque, while Pau’s sole effort was scored by Fijian winger (and new signing) Akuila Nawerecagi.

Biarritz fly-half Valentin Courrent, who missed much of last season through injury, said he was happy with his own performance after a four-month absence.

“I am very satisfied, not necessarily by my game but by my thigh. I felt nothing – good feelings and no pain at the end. It was what I was looking for in this match,” he said.

On the transfer front Biarritz have signed Stade Francais’ Under-20 French international Benoît Guyot. Guyot was captain of Stade’s cadet champions in 2006 and took part in this summer’s Under-20 World Cup hosted by Japan in June.

Another player departing Paris is prop Franck Montanella, who has signed for ProD2 newcomers Aix-en-Provence.

Dax’s Kas Lealamanua and Toulon’s Mathieu Larrouy are also on the move, with both joining Federale 1 side Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The pair were out of contract and on Provale’s official list of unemployed players.

Finally, Stade Toulousain were in mourning on Wednesday following the shock death of assistant manager Jean Lacroix.

The 64-year-old, who was in charge of club logistics and administration, died on Tuesday night. His son Didier Lacroix is in the Stade Toulousain squad.