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“Parlez-vous Francais?” A pause; a chuckle and then a timid “un peu” (a little) in reply. The only thing that scares former All Black Chris Masoe is the French language.

The back-row forward is playing the rugby of his life at Castres Olympique in the French championship. The club from the Midi Pyrenees in south-west France is the surprise package of the season, riding high in the Top 14 tournament and chasing their first title since 1993.

Masoe, with seven tries this season, loves Castres and Castres loves Masoe, with the Samoan born loosie, in his second year, gaining cult status in a French market town which is straight out of Gallic central casting, built on a river and surrounded by imposing chateaux and blazing sunflower fields.

“I love it here and reckon I am playing the best rugby of my career. I am at number eight which I prefer,” said Masoe, capped 20 times by New Zealand, but with only 10 starts and shuffled along the back-row.

He was up against the likes of Richie McCaw and his old Hurricanes teammates Jerry Collins and Rodney So’oialo, but at Test level there is a sense of what might have been for Masoe.

“It was a bit frustrating, but I enjoyed the challenge of learning the positions and it is good to be versatile on the field. I made the move to France for my family and the different lifestyle and culture. You cannot play rugby forever.”

Of course ‘family’ usually translates as money and French rugby is waving euro-laden baguettes at foreign players, with Carl Hayman the latest en route to France, joining Toulon.

“Carl did not talk to me about signing for Toulon. He’ll enjoy it here and I’m looking forward to catching up with him. He is still the best player in his position in the world.”

French backline artistry, although a joy to behold when unleashed, is not the soul of French rugby. That has always laid with les avants - the forwards - and Masoe gets the nods of approval from the Castres supporters, smoking untipped Gitanes and cradling a glass of red at an early hour.

“I am finding the rugby much more physical in France. It is tough rugby, which I love. Physicality is what I play the game for. Off the field life is more laid-back and there is not so much pressure from the media and the public. They are passionate about their rugby in the south-west, but chilled with it,” said Masoe, who in his time off travels round Europe with his lawyer girlfriend Gemma.

A full house at the Pierre Antoine stadium in Castres is “an awesome experience”. It explains why Masoe, 30, has signed a new two-year contract with the club, with an option on a third.

Does he miss New Zealand and his homeland of Samoa? “I miss family and friends. I keep an eye on the Super 14 and watch the Hurricanes. There are lots of great young players coming through in New Zealand rugby.”

Masoe talks of having ‘moved on’ and ‘done my turn’. But you offer to wave a magic wand and the international ambition is rekindled. “Mate if they changed the rules and allowed me back to play for the ABs I would be in dreamland. More than anything I love playing international rugby. Or if I could play for Samoa.”

Masoe’s parents still live in the village of Asau in Savai’i, Samoa, where Masoe is a high chieftain title. The area escaped the Samoan tsunami, but Masoe’s prayers are with his island as it rebuilds from the tragedy.

If New Zealand or Samoan selectors studied the videos of his Castres displays, as arguably the player of the French Championship, they would quickly realise that all the pace, power, vigorous defence and rugby intelligence remains.

Castres are an eclectic bunch. Another of the forward stars is Samoan giant Joe Tekori, while at the other end of the height scale is little French wing Marc Andreu, the pocket dynamo who lit up the Six Nations Championship.

“I do some boxing with Joe and some of the other guys and I also enjoy coaching at the local schools, even if my French is restricted to a few rugby terms!”

Masoe can look after himself on a rugby field and in a boxing ring, but should he ever need help he can always whistle up his big brother. Maselino Masoe is a former world middleweight boxing champion and an Olympian.

“He is still boxing at 43, but I think he will hang up the gloves soon. My brother is one of my idols and I am really proud of him.”

Castres has a rugby and boxing legend of its own in the colossal, four-square form of its favourite son Gerard Cholley, the legendary France prop of the 1970s, who was also a heavyweight boxer and French Army champion and not shy about using his pugilist skills on the rugby field.

If Masoe gets homesick he shoots the Castres breeze with ex-Crusader Cameron McIntyre and former All Blacks prop Carl Hoeft. He also recently hooked up in France with Jonah Lomu, now plying his trade in France for Marseille.

“It was great to catch up with the big guy.”

Masoe, who played for Wanganui and Taranaki before Super rugby with the Canes, won Commonwealth Games Sevens gold in 2002 and making his All Blacks debut in 2005.

Chris your last cap was as a replacement in the World Cup quarter-final defeat to France in Cardiff? There is a long pause. Is Monsieur Geniality about to blow?

“Mate, sorry, do not go there. The French give me enough stick about it as it is.” It is best not to upset a guy who, in a French Championship full of snorting beasts of the field, is reckoned to be one of the most powerfully effective forwards.

All the wailing might be about Hayman and his move to France rather than back to New Zealand for the World Cup. But if you were picking an All Blacks squad on global form right now Masoe would be in the back-row shake up. Just ask any Frenchman.

“Chris is an example to us all. He gives a lot of advice on the field and off it he shows others the way. He is the one after training has finished putting in more tackling practice,” said Alexandre Albouy, the Castres scrum-half and captain.

“I am in a good place at the moment,” said Masoe. He meant it spiritually and physically. A great bloke too.

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