Le Rugby’s Welsh rugby correspondent, Ray de Galles, assesses the form of the four Welsh players currently plying their trade in France. Following on from his first instalment, he now takes us up to the end of November.

Jamie Robinson
Age: 29
Position: Centre
Club: Toulon, Top 14 (joined July 2009)
Previous Clubs: Cardiff Blues
Caps: 23

Jamie’s found the going a bit tough the last few weeks. He's now played in 11 of Toulon's 14 league games, but started only 8. Indeed, he was on the wing for Friday's memorable win in Paris, a game in which he made two howlers that somehow went unpunished. He's been overlooked for Toulon's European Challenge Cup assault, a competition that's seen coach Philippe Saint-André field strong teams. He'll also be disappointed at being overlooked for Wales' autumn international campaign. In particular, he can feel aggrieved at losing out to new boy Jonathan Davies, whose abject displays were replicated by a toothless Welsh team devoid of the creative thrust offered by the likes of Robinson.

He can be reasonably happy with the amount of playing time he's seen, but of late he's been more of a peripheral figure. This is due mainly to Saint-André rotating his squad more than he did in the early weeks, fielding the likes of Australian Mafileo Kefu, Fijian international Gabriele Lovobalavu, English international Tom May and every Aussie’s favourite rugby league convert, Sonny Bill Williams.

Alix Popham
Age: 29
Position: Back Row
Club: Brive, Top 14 (joined June 2008)
Previous Clubs: Newport, Leeds, Llanelli Scarlets
Caps: 31

Things have gone a bit en forme de poire for Popham since September. After playing the whole game in the heavy defeat in Paris in early October, he retained his place for the following week’s Heineken Cup trip to former club Llanelli Scaaaaalets. Sadly, Popham's return to south west Wales lasted just half an hour as he dislocated an elbow, an injury that's kept him out of action ever since. Brive's dodgy form of late, a run that’s seen them win just 4 of their last 13 league games, will no doubt see him restored to the back row once the old Spanish Archer is fully healed.

Popham is the only Welshman left at the Stade Amédée Domenech following the summer departures of Barry ’18 mois’ Davies and Liam Davies to the Ospreys. Despite this, he looks likely to take the extra season's option on his contract and remain at Brive for the forseeable future, especially as he’s currently lost out to Andy Powell when it comes to Warren Gatland’s favourite peroxide blonde flanker.

Chris Wyatt
Age: 34
Position: Lock/Number 8
Club: Aix-en-Provence, Pro D2 (joined July 2008)
Previous Clubs: Newport, Neath, Llanelli Scarlets, Munster, Bourgoin
Caps: 27

Like an old Austin Ambassador, Wyatt just keeps on going. He’s now with his fourth club in five seasons, yet shows no sign of slowing up. He's played in nine of les Provencales’ 12 league games, starting eight. It’s been a tough old season for the Pro D2 new boys, who are clinging onto the shirt tails of the likes of Colomiers and Auch in their quest for that elusive 14th place finish.

Wyatt's experience will be vital to a Pays d’Aix team that’s short on old heads, as will his chain smoking be to the tills of the local tabac owners. At 34 years old, this could be his last season in the relative top flight. Saying that, he’s in his third year in France and obviously enjoying the salades des geziers, steak frites and ile flotantes. One way or another, life in the Fédérale jungles is sur les cartes next season.

Tomos Marks
Age: 25
Position: Fly Half
Club: Le Bugue, Fédérale 1 (joined June 2009)
Previous Clubs: Llanelli, London Welsh, Llandovery
Caps: None (yet)

Le Bugue’s dreadful start to the season ultimately culminated in our adopted hero being dropped for the trip to Oloron. Fortunately this turned out to be a minor blip, and he was restored to the starting line-up the following week. As of the end of November, he’s played in all eight of Le Bugue's Fédérale 1  games, starting seven of them. That’s quite an achievement when you consider Le Bugue’s cosmopolitan squad.

He's been instrumental in Le Bugue's recent resurgence, a run that's seen them win their last two games. He's chipped in with a personal haul of 58pts, including a classy try against Lourdes, a game that yielded les Chevaliers' first win of the season. He's also shown his versatility that's made him a popular figure around the Stade Renaud-Cruveiller, starting the game against Graulhet at scrum-half. Despite waiting patiently by the chien et os, he didn’t get the call from Warren Gatland to back-up Stephen Jones and Dan Biggar.