OMNISPORT 

Former France international Marc Dal Maso has announced he has Parkinson's disease.

The 48-year-old revealed the news in an interview with Midi-Olympique rugby daily.

Dal Maso made 33 appearances for France between 1988 and 2000, during which time he won the Five Nations Grand Slam on two occasions and was a late replacement in the 1999 Rugby World Cup final defeat to Australia.

The ex-Perpignan hooker suggested that playing rugby may have played a part in his condition.

"Let's just say there are sports which help illnesses like this and rugby is one of them," he said.

"There were rumors doing the rounds so rather than listen to people say stupid things it was better that they know."

Dal Maso was part of Japan's 2015 Rugby World Cup coaching team under new England head coach Eddie Jones.