No snooze for Les Bleus giant as wedding frolics get out of hand

FRANCE’S World Cup preparations hit an unlikely speed bump in the shape of a London wedding party. Giant prop Uini Atonio has revealed how a rowdy set of wedding guests spoiled his first night’s sleep in their south London hotel. World Cup history is full of tall tales of demented fans attempting to ruin rivals’ preparations by spoiling sleep patterns, and Atonio’s wedding blues only add to that tradition. ‘I did not really sleep well,” said Atonio of Saturday night. ‘There was a wedding in the reception area just under my room, and they were quite noisy. At around two in the morning, when I still could not sleep, I had to put my headphones on. ‘We might have to change hotel!’ Les Bleus will open their campaign in Ireland’s Pool D by facing Italy at Twickenham on Saturday night.

MAURO BERGAMASCO says he never dreamed he would become just the second player to reach five World Cups. Veteran Italy flanker Bergamasco joins former Samoa centre Brian Lima in reaching a fifth World Cup, the 36-year-old appearing at every tournament since 1999. ‘Sixteen years ago I certainly wouldn’t have thought it possible, it was just tough thinking about playing in my first World Cup,’ he said. ÷ GLASGOW hooker Kevin Bryce has replaced Stuart McInally in Scotland’s World Cup squad. Bryce was given the surprise news yesterday after McInally failed to recover from a neck injury. Bryce won his first call-up in Scotland’s 2014 summer tour but did not feature off the bench after being called up ahead of their warm-up win in Italy last month.