There is no trace of bitterness, no hint that his memories of Lansdowne Road may deviate privately from those he articulates in public. On January 18th, 1997, Fabien Galthie was stretchered from the pitch after 42 minutes of the Five Nations Championship clash between Ireland and France, his last view of Dublin 4 bleak overcast skies and the hulking great structure that is the West Stand.
It was to prove a devastatingly premature conclusion to an afternoon that offered rich promise. Galthie's sixth-minute try helped France to embark on a 32-15 success, the first leg of a Grand Slam season. The tough Colomiers scrum-half would miss the remaining three matches, indeed the knee injury kept him sidelined for eight months. He looked on as first Brive's Philippe Carbonneau and then Begles-Bordeaux scrum-half Guy Accoceberry donned the number nine jersey.
Injury blighted last season as well and he missed out on a second French Grand Slam. Recent medical history dictates that the treatment table was a reasonable location to begin searching for Galthie as his club, Colomiers, prepared for a European Cup final clash with Ulster at Lansdowne Road.
"I don't know why it is, but I have had more than my fair share of injuries," Galthie admitted, the latest a hamstring problem suffered against Perpignan in the European Cup semi-final.
"I am looking forward to returning to Lansdowne Road, but with perhaps a better outcome to the day. The last time I ended up with ruptured ligaments in my knee. However I really enjoy Ireland and am delighted to be back."
Colomiers, victorious in the European Conference last season, have exceeded their expectations of a place in the Cup semi-final this season, the win over Perpignan viewed as an unexpected bonus. Unlike Ulster they have not enjoyed the "luxury" of breaks between crucial cup games as they were battling to make the last 16 in the French Championship.
Galthie explains: "We've had no time to look forward to the game against Ulster because after our semi-final win over Perpignan, we had two important matches upon which to focus in the French Championship. We weren't in a good position, we needed to win one of the two and this we accomplished against La Rochelle." In the other match, played last weekend, Colomiers lost a local derby at home to Toulouse, the side that Ulster beat in the quarter-finals.
The French international continued: "It is not a good situation to be in, in terms of preparing for the cup final we could have done with the rest. We have a lot of injuries and are tired, but in saying that most of those who missed the recent matches will be available for the final. Hopefully everything will come right, but we are mentally prepared for the task ahead.
"We are aware of our own limitations. Colomiers's success is a mixture of many things, but spirit and ambition are at the heart of everything. We are not an overly confident side, but we know we are capable of playing good, entertaining rugby. We are a community club, a town of 30,000 people with a club that is 35 years old.
"We do not have that rich rugby tradition of some of our neighbours, nor are we a club that is prepared to spend lots of money to entice players. Nearly all of the present team learned our rugby here. Colomiers is a family club. We have improved gradually rather than spectacularly. It's been a question of measured progress year after year after year."
The question of injury is one that current haunts the French club and Galthie concedes that Colomiers do not boast the strength in depth of some of their illustrious rivals in the French Championship. "We have just about enough quality and talent to compete with the best, but when injuries occur we don't have the same quality of player to bring in. The last few weeks has been about survival," he says.
Reports of an overcrowded treatment table cannot disguise the ability of this Colomiers side for whom Galthie, another long-term injury casualty, captain Jean Luc Sadourny, and hooker Marc dal Maso will be key performers. The French, though, prefer to deflect the attention towards Ulster. Galthie enthused: "Ulster are a very good team but for them this game is not simply about sport.
"It is very important for Ulster to show the whole of Europe what it is they can do. We won't be playing a club or a team, but a nation. They have something to prove. Playing away from home in front of a huge crowd is going to be difficult, but every final starts at 50/50. I think that we can beat them. Only one team can be champions and we want it to be Colomiers."
