French rugby stars seemed tired of talking about their sleep patterns today after a second night staying at a Croydon hotel.

Prop Uini Atonio caused a minor row by claiming that a rowdy wedding party at the Selsdon Park Hotel ruined his first night's sleep, as the team prepared to kick off their Rugby World Cup campaign against Italy on Saturday.

When approached by the Croydon Guardian as they stepped off the team bus at the hotel this afternoon, players declined to comment on the quality of shut-eye on their second night at the four-star lodgings.

But another guest, who did not give his name, waxed lyrical about his stay at Selsdon Park.

He said: "We stayed in here last night, and we had no problem, no noise. It's a lovely place."

French news outlets covering the team's Rugby World Cup preparations have been less than complimentary about the team's Croydon base.

Metronews went so far to describe the borough as "monotonous" and "pas tres chic".

It did, however, reserve some praise for the luxury Selsdon Park Hotel itself, comparing its "extremely British" aesthetic favourably with the "impoverished" surrounding borough.

Labour councillor for Upper Norwood, Pat Ryan, said: "I don’t think an English journalist would go over to France and say something like that.

"We’re a vibrant town with vibrant district centres, and it’s rather insulting really that French journalists come and say these things before a ball has been kicked at Twickenham."

"On the whole the French are nice and warm people, but this would make you hope they get a good beating in the World Cup."