The "quiet man" of French rugby, former international captain Marc Cecillon, 45, opened fire with a handgun and killed his wife at an end-of-season function near Lyon at the weekend, police said.
The imposing 6ft 4in player, who was overpowered by other party guests and taken into custodyon Saturday night, was allegedly so drunk that he did not realise he had killed his wife, Chantal, until he woke up in a police cell yesterday.
Witnesses said Cecillon, who earlier this year became honorary manager at his first club, Bourgoin-Jallieu, near Lyon, began arguing with his wife at the open-air function attended by about 60 people at Saint-Savin. He briefly left the party, which was being held in a friend's garden, but returned to open fire "numerous times" on Chantal's thorax and head.
The former third-liner - who was first capped in 1988 and captained France five times - was said to have had a stormy relationship with Chantal, a medical secretary and mother of his two daughters.
Pierre Martinet, the chairman of Bourgoin-Jallieu, said Cecillon appeared to have had trouble adapting to ordinary life after the end of his professional career last year.
"I have known Marc for 12 years. I often saw him with Chantal, who was very proud of him. "I never noticed problems between them and I never personally saw him drunk. But it is clear that his recent lack of activity tended to incite him to drink," Mr Martinet said.
Cecillon, who was first capped at junior level and gained 46 full caps for France, is a prominent personality in Bourgoin-Jallieu. He played in the town's team for 23 years until 1999 and one of the wings of the local stadium is named after him.
With Chantal and the couple's two daughters, Cecillon lived in a farmhouse which he had rebuilt himself. Police who searched the player's home said he would remain in custody. They expected a judge to place him under formal investigation today.
