BERNARD LAPORTE on his corruption scandal, why France is a ‘sick’ country and

The manager of the restaurant opposite the Gare du Nord knows who is coming. ‘Bernard Laporte? Ok. We open a private area for him,’ says the boss.

We are about to sit down with one of the most controversial figures in rugby and the interview comes with a couple of caveats. No subject is off the table – including Laporte’s involvement in French rugby’s corruption scandal.

‘That’s ok, we discuss what you want,’ he says, having just arrived in a taxi from his home in Saint Germain.

He knows this newspaper heavily backed his rival Agustin Pichot in the World Rugby election bid – and would do so again – but he does not take it personally. ‘You like Pichot? He’s still young. He has good ideas.’

Laporte is no longer involved with World Rugby. He resigned as Bill Beaumont’s vice chairman in January after he was given a two-year suspended prison sentence.

French courts found him guilty of showing financial favouritism to Mohed Altrad in a 7million Euro deal to sponsor the national team, leaving his official positions untenable.

Laporte pleads his innocence: ‘We made an appeal to this because there is nothing. He never influenced me. Never. For this, we will defend. For me and Mohed, it’s not just.

‘I was not happy, for sure. I never take money from the federation. No salary, nothing. I have to retire from World Rugby? Ok, that’s no problem, life is going on.’

The courts will decide. Laporte went from playing, to coaching to walking the corridors of chairman power. A former Minister of Sport for the French government, he became the most divisive figure in French rugby. You are with him or you are against him.

His empire appeared to be untouchable after fronting the bid to host this year’s World Cup, but it all came crashing down.

‘With the FFR, it’s finished. With World Rugby, it’s finished. Being vice president of World Rugby was not my favourite thing. Meeting, meeting, meeting. The president and vice president don’t make decisions, it’s the people on salaries.

‘There’s a lot of time for nothing. It’s not my pleasure. I am happy to have seen it but my love is speaking with the players and the coaches, speaking about the game. Speaking with Steve Hansen, Eddie Jones, Gregor Townsend, Rassie Erasmus. Only this. The other things… uh.

‘I have a lot of invitations so I will be in the stadium, for sure. When the first game starts, then I think it will be wonderful. Friday night, 8th September, against the All Blacks. I will be there.

‘I think the World Cup is very important. France the country is sick. Malade. Problem of drugs. A lot…