Czechs begin training camp in Southern France

January 29, 2005 - Prague

The Czech Republic's senior rugby team starts preparations for the upcoming games of the European Championship in Hyeres near Toulon in Southern France next Sunday. Players will gather for the first time since last November when they played Romania in Prague.

One of the reasons for the training camp to be held in Toulon area is fact, that Martin Jagr (25), recently voted the Czech Rugby Player Of The Year is one of the Toulon RC's stars. The camp will last one week, and will include a training session with a professional French team Toulon and a game against a regional selection.

Frenchman Christian Galonnier, the new coach of the Czechs, was assigned to Czech Rugby Union by their European counterparts (FIRA-AER). He will take charge of the team for the first time. His assistants are Martin Pekacek, Jan Machacek and Josef Fatka.

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Contact:

Jan Machacek, director media

Czech Rugby Union

+420 777 699966,