Where Are They Now? The last England team to play in Toulouse in 2008
England are preparing for a tough mid-season test with France in Toulouse this weekend, but it’s been a long time since they last visited the French city.
You have to look all the way back to 2008 for the last time England faced France in Toulouse, however it was a huge England victory that day as they came away with a huge 56-8 win.
The squad that day features some of the greatest players to ever play for England, but where are they now? Here is an in-depth look at the last England team to face France in Toulouse.
Paul Wellens
Fullback Paul Wellens made his England debut in the 110-0 thrashing of the USA in 2000 and went onto win 32 international caps for both England and Great Britain. He also featured in two World Cups.
Wellens also had a decorated career in the red vee of St Helens. He helped the club win five Super League Grand Finals, five Challenge Cups and two World Club Challenges. Wellens also won the 2006 Man of Steel award and two Lance Todd titles.
He took the reigns as St Helens head coach in 2023 and guided his side to a World Club Challenge title.
Ade Gardner
Winger Ade Gardner made his England debut against France in 2005 and notched 10 international caps for both England and Great Britain. He also featured in the 2008 World Cup.
Garder joined St Helens in 2002 after a strong first season at Barrow and helped the club win two Super League Grand Finals, four Challenge Cups and one World Club Challenge.
He is now Head of Performance at Warrington Wolves.
Martin Gleeson
Martin Gleeson made his international debut for Great Britain against Australia in 2002, but had to wait until 2008 to make his England debut in this game against France. He racked up 26 international caps in total and was a part of the 2008 World Cup squad.
In his club career, Gleeson had spells at Huddersfield, St Helens, Warrington, Wigan and Hull FC before ending his career at Salford. He also won two Super League Grand Finals and one Challenge Cup.
He is currently an assistant coach at Warrington Wolves under Sam Burgess.
Keith Senior
After making his international debut in 1996, powerhouse centre Keith Senior won 43 international caps for both Great Britain and England. He also featured in two World Cups.
He also had a highly successful club career. Senior spent five seasons at Sheffield Eagles before joining Leeds Rhinos in 1999, and helped the Rhinos win five Super League Grand Finals. He was also a part of the Eagles squad to win the Challenge Cup in 1998.
Senior is now back at Sheffield as an assistant coach and also has a role with Rugby League Cares.
Peter Fox
Making his debut on this day was winger Peter Fox. Fox went onto win a further five caps for England after this test, including the Four Nations final against Australia.
The winger made his maiden club appearance for York in 2005, before spells at Wakefield Trinity, Hull KR, Halifax, Doncaster and Newcastle.
He now works as an electrical and mechanical technician.
Leon Pryce
After making his England debut in 1999, Pryce went onto win 24 more international caps for both Great Britain and England. He also featured at two World Cups.
His club career began with his hometown club Bradford Bulls, before having further spells at St Helens, Catalans Dragons and Hull FC; before returning for one final season at Odsal. Pryce also won four Super League Grand Finals, six Challenge Cups and three World Club Challenges. In 2007, Pryce also won the Lance Todd trophy.
Following his retirement, he went into coaching with Featherstone Rovers and is also a TV pundit.
Rob Burrow
Rugby league icon Rob Burrow made his international debut against Russia in 2004, and went onto win a further 17 caps for both Great Britain and England. He also went to two World Cups.
During his club career with Leeds Rhinos, he won eight Super League Grand Finals, three World Club Challenges and two Challenge Cups, and also made 492 appearances.
Since his diagnosis with MND in 2019, Burrow helped raise over £20 million for charity and was awarded both an MBE and CBE. He sadly passed away on the 2nd of June.
Adrian Morley
Legendary forward Adrian Morley made his debut for both England and Great Britain in 1996 and went onto win over 50 caps for both in his international career. He also featured in two World Cups.
His club career saw him star in both Super League and the NRL, with stints at Leeds, Sydney Roosters, Bradford, Warrington, Swinton and Salford. During his club career, he won one Super League Grand Final, one NRL Premiership, four Challenge Cups and one World Club Challenge.
After a spell in the Leeds Rhinos academy coach, Morley has stepped away from the game to spend more time with family, but still works as a pundit and after-dinner speaker.
James Roby
James Roby England 2008
Despite making his Great Britain debut back in 2006, this clash against France was the St Helens icon’s maiden appearance for England.
In total, Roby won 39 international caps for both Great Britain and England and went to three World Cups. He also featured in the 2017 World Cup final defeat to Australia.
Roby was a one-club man throughout his career, making an astonishing 551 appearances in the Red Vee. He also helped the club win six Super League Grand Finals, four Challenge Cups and two World Club Challenges. He was awarded the Man of Steel award in 2007.
Following his retirement last season, Roby joined the coaching staff at St Helens.
Jamie Peacock
Leading the side out that day was heroic prop Jamie Peacock. Peacock made his England debut against Russia in 2000, and went onto win 47 caps for both England and Great Britain in his career. He also featured in two World Cups.
He also had an illustrious club career with spells Bradford Bulls, Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR. Peacock won nine Super League Grand Finals, four Challenge Cups and four World Club Challenges. He was also awarded Man of Steel in 2003.
Since retiring, Peacock works as a motivational speaker and pundit.
Gareth Ellis
Despite already having 17 Great Britain caps to his name, this clash with France in 2008 was Gareth Ellis’ maiden England appearance. He went onto win a further 20 caps for his country and featured in one World Cup.
Ellis also had a great club career both in the UK and down under too. He came through at Wakefield Trinity, before spells at Leeds Rhinos, Wests Tigers and Hull FC. During his career, he won two Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups and two World Club Challenges.
He currently works as a coach at Hull FC, after returning to the club earlier this season.
Sam Burgess
Sam Burgess England 2008
NRL legend Sam Burgess already had two Great Britain caps to his name by the time he made his England debut in this fixture against France. He went onto win 23 more caps for England, and went to two World Cups. Burgess also led England into the 2017 World Cup final, where they fell just short of beating Australia in the final.
He is also widely recognised as the best British player to play in the NRL. He made his club debut for Bradford Bulls in 2006, and after four seasons in Super League made the switch to South Syndey Rabbitohs. During his time down under, Burgess won an NRL Premiership and won the Clive Churchill medal.
After retiring, Burgess went into coaching and is currently the head coach at Warrington; and in his first season at the club has taken them to a Challenge Cup final.
Kevin Sinfield
Kevin Sinfield made his England debut in 2000 and went onto win 40 caps for both England and Great Britain in his international career. He also featured in three World Cups.
He spent his whole club career with the Rhinos and made 521 appearances in his 18-year spell. Sinfield also helped Leeds win seven Super League Grand Finals, three World Club Challenges and two Challenge Cups.
He moved to rugby union in 2015, joining Yorkshire Carnegie, and is now part of Steve Borthwick’s coaching group at England. He also helped guide Leicester Tigers to the Premiership title as a coach.
Alongside Burrow, Sinfield has helped to raise over £20 million for MND charities and has also been awarded both an MBE and CBE.
Bench
James Graham
James Graham England 2008
Another player who already had Great Britain caps to his name prior to making his England debut in this match was James Graham. The prop won a total of 53 caps for both Great Britain and England during his international career, and went to three World Cups.
Graham’s club career began at St Helens in 2003, but he made the move to the NRL in 2012 to join Canterbury. After six seasons with the Bulldogs, Graham joined St George Illawarra, before returning to St Helens in 2020.
He won two Super League Grand Finals, three Challenge Cups and a World Club Challenge and was awarded Man of Steel in 2008.
After retirement, Graham now has a podcast and works as a pundit in Australia.
Maurie Fa’asavalu
Samoan-native Maurie Fa’asavalu is yet another player who had already represented Great Britain before making his England debut against France in 2008. He won a total of five caps for both Great Britain and England in his international career, and featured in the 2008 World Cup.
Fa’asavalu made his St Helens debut in 2004, and went onto help the club win one Super League Grand Final and four Challenge Cups before leaving in 2010.
He had already featured for Samoa during the 2003 World Cup in rugby union, but made the permanent switch to the 15-man game in 2010 to join Harlequins, before heading to French club Oyonnax.
Fa’asavalu also began a role as a player/coach for amateur team West Park St Helens, and played for them in 2022.
Jon Wilkin
The third St Helens man on the bench that day was Jon Wilkin. Wilkin made his England debut in 2006 against France, and went onto win 19 caps for both Great Britain and England. He also went to the 2008 World Cup.
Wilkin’s club career began in 2001 for Hull KR, but he quickly joined St Helens in 2003. During his stint in the Red Vee, Wilkin won two Super League Grand Finals, four Challenge Cups and one World Club Challenge. He ended his career at Toronto Wolfpack.
Post-retirement, Wilkin now works for Sky Sports as a pundit.
Danny McGuire
Danny McGuire 2008
Rounding off the playing squad that day was Danny McGuire. He already had 12 Great Britain caps before making his England debut in this victory over France, and won an additional six caps for England. He also went to the World Cup in 2008.
He began his club career in 2001 with Leeds, and had a decorated 16-year career with the Rhinos. McGuire won eight Super League Grand Finals, three World Club Challenges and two Challenge Cups with the Rhinos before retiring in 2017.
He later came out of retirement to spend a season with Hull KR in 2019.
Since retiring again after the 2019 season, McGuire has made the move into coaching and is currently assistant coach at Castleford Tigers.
Coach: Tony Smith
Leading the side out as head coach that day was Tony Smith. Smith’s coaching career in the UK began with Huddersfield Giants in 2001, before having spells with Leeds Rhinos, Great Britain, England, Warrington Wolves, Hull KR and Hull FC.
Smith has coached over 500 professional games in his coaching career, and has won two Super League Grand Finals, three Challenge Cups and one World Club Challenge. He was also named RLIF Coach of the Year in 2007.
Smith was recently let go by Hull FC after two seasons.