At the ripe age of 36, Courtney Lawes, the seasoned England international, has just wrapped up his 19th pre-season training—this time under the sweltering French sun. After a triumphant tenure at Northampton, culminating in a Premiership title in June 2024, Lawes has now taken his talents to France, aiming to propel Pro D2 club Brive back to the Top 14 after a disappointing end to the previous season.
Last year, Lawes and his team faced a brutal knockout in the semi-finals at their home ground, courtesy of Montauban, despite securing a second-place finish in the league. Now, as Brive gears up for a new 30-game season, they are set to clash with Vannes—a team recently relegated from the top division—in a much-anticipated Saturday night showdown.
"Pre-season number 19 done and dusted and honestly thank f*** for that,"
Lawes vented on LinkedIn. He continued, "As much as I do enjoy parts of pre-season, for me it’s now just a tightrope walk between getting ‘fit’ and staying ‘fit’ (injury free)." The England veteran, having retired from Test rugby following the 2023 Rugby World Cup, noted the stark differences in training methods between France and the UK. "Luckily, pre-season in France is quite a bit different from the UK. There is much more emphasis on fitness games over fitness drills, which suits me down to the ground," he explained.
Despite the grueling sessions in over 40-degree heat, Lawes described his preparation as "pretty class." With the pre-season hurdles behind him, he is eager to dive into another challenging season, always with an eye to outdo the last. Although his hopes of joining the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour were dashed, his ambition within the club circuit remains undeterred.
As Brive prepares for their opening clash against Vannes, all eyes will be on Lawes, whose experience and resilience could be pivotal in their quest for a top-flight return.
Teams: Brive, Vannes