'At the moment it's quite bleak' - Three player deaths and damaging defeats leave French rugby under a dark cloud
Life is grim in France with their winter of rugby discontent spilling over into spring. Beating Argentina in November was supposed to be a corner-turning victory.
Instead, it was a red herring, the French since losing four of their next five and humiliatingly giving up Six Nations try bonus points to England and Ireland as early as the 39th and 55th minute in London and Dublin.
That prompted the graphic Midi Olympique Monday newspaper editorial claiming, “The hearts of supporters bleed.” However, this outpouring goes way beyond mourning the dreadful form of the national team who could next be ambushed in Rome by a hapless Italy.
Rugby is France is still recovering from the 2018 nightmare of three players tragically dying on its playing fields within a seven-month period. The FFR will now host a three-day Shaping A Safer Game symposium in Paris next week, its president Bernard Laporte stating: “This is an important meeting for the future of our sport.”
Stade Francais assistant Mike Prendergast will watch what unfolds with interest. His was in the thick of things in December when the death of its academy player Nicolas Chauvin prompted French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu to say: “There are questions to be asked about the refereeing, the evolution of the game, and the way of playing. It’s the third young man who’s died and that’s too much.”
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It was December 11 when the 19-year-old Chauvin harrowingly passed away. An academy flanker who had trained with the senior squad, he was playing for the under-21s against Bordeaux when caught in a two-man tackle that broke his neck, caused a cardiac arrest and cut off the oxygen supply to his brain.
His passing followed the deaths last May of 17-year-old Adrien Descrulhes, who was killed by a brain haemorrhage caused by a blow to the head, and last August of 21-year-old Louis Fajfrowski, who collapsed after being hit in a tackle playing for Aurillac.
‘Three terrible tragedies,” said Prendergast to RugbyPass, 13 weeks on from the devastating experience of seeing his own club making headlines for all the wrong reasons. “With Nicolas, it was hard for everyone to take.
Pay a quiet tribute to Nicolas Chauvin this Wednesday
Our thoughts and prayers are with Nicolas' Family, friends, team-mates and all in @SFParisRugby @UBBrugby and @FFRugby
Á jamais Rose & Bleu
Repose en paix#SportspeoopleTogether #RIP pic.twitter.com/91YadkHsHQ
— World Sports Team (@WorldSportsTeam) December 17, 2018
“You feel it around the place. It’s very much shock. It took a bit of time for people to recover and a lot of people still haven’t. It takes a lot of time. It was tough for the club, tough for his family more importantly and the academy players that he played with.
“Nicolas’ family are here at lot. They come to games and have spoken to us after the games. Rugby is a sport still has that friendly feeling, still has those traditions that goes back years and years.
“Even at Nicolas’ funeral you could see all the heads of French rugby who were there to pay their respects, which was pleasing to see for his family and for the club. But it was a very tough time. A 19-year-old losing his life playing the game was quite tough to take for everybody.
The Ospreys have joined @SFParisRugby in a lap of honour to pay our respects to Nicolas Chauvin after tonight’s game #RIPNicolas pic.twitter.com/qOP52pqcj8
— Ospreys (@ospreys) December 14, 2018
“Everybody has rallied around. Nicolas’ family were very, very appreciative of the club and the rugby family that came out in support for them.
“They are talk (about the tackle law), that they are trying to regulate it, but nothing has come out official as such yet. We’ll wait and see.
“At the moment it’s quite bleak. Three boys passing away has been incredibly difficult for all of French rugby, and for their families and team players. It has been tough.
“On top of where France are playing-wise and the amount of games they have lost, it’s pretty bleak. Everyone would like to see France do well because we all grew up seeing what French rugby can bring in terms of flair and enthusiasm when everything goes well for them.
“Sport can be a brilliant tool to change people’s lives. It’s just a tough time at the moment and it has been for the last couple of years on the pitch, but you need France from a sporting perspective,” continued Prendergast, the former Munster scrum-half who has also coached in France at Grenoble and Oyonnax.
“You saw what they did at the soccer World Cup last year and it was a brilliant success. It changed people’s lives and the sport became more popular. That can happen in rugby as the talent is there.
“There is light at the end of the tunnel from a playing point of view on the pitch. People do see the talent and that frustrates people. If they get that right and get those management appointments right, there is that hope. But at the moment it’s quite tough.”
Prendergast foresees radical upheaval happening by the end of 2019 regarding Jacques Brunel’s national team. They have won just four of 14 games under the coach and six switches have been made to their side for the final round of the Six Nations for fear they could embarrassingly lose to Italy in Rome.
With France anointed as World Cup hosts in 2023, the hope is this tournament will eventually help restore their rugby to rude health, giving it a bounce in popularity similar to what soccer experienced when last year’s Would Cup success captured the imagination of a country with a population of 67 million people.
“They are probably a year or two off from finding their first top 30 players and that is what they have got to do consistently. The other side of this is Guy Noves was fired (in December 2017) in circumstances where they had to appoint someone quite quickly,” continued Prendergast.
“Was it ideal for them? No. But that is the decision they made. Brunel and Laporte are quite close and he managed to get him out of Bordeaux, but I’m sure a lot of other club presidents weren’t inclined to leave their head coach go.
“Laporte is now taking his time and is being more calculated. He has to be. They are after winning a bid for a World Cup and it’s a massive thing for them over here and they need to get it right after the numbers turned more towards soccer.
? The #GuinnessSixNations table with Super Saturday on the way. Who's looking forward to a huge final day? pic.twitter.com/XUUdxt0U45
— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) March 10, 2019
“He has come out and said he’s going to take his time to look for the right candidate and potentially bring in a foreigner with a French-based staff. They are taking their time and if they get that right, the raw talent, the players and the athletes are here for sure.
“France have super talented individuals, but the French team haven’t been winning for reasons that are quite clear – a lack of consistency in terms of the team.
“This World Cup in Japan will be a difficult one for them but there is a major focus on the following World Cup. Knowing what talent is coming through the system they could be a serious threat and they will build for that with maybe a foreigner as head guy.
“A Vern Cotter. Even a Warren Gatland. They could try and persuade Joe Schmidt after a year. There is a few French guys putting their hand up, guys like Pierre Mignoni, who has done a good job at Lyon, and obviously Franck Azéma at Clermont.
“But the structures are a struggle. You have 14 privately-owned clubs with presidents whose focus is on their club and to the national team. They are trying to find medium ground, but the communication needs to improve and they are going to do it step by step because Rome wasn’t built in a day.
“I can see a few things changing but the big thing for me is the raw talent is 100 per cent there – and bags of it as well. If they get those appointments right behind the scenes and get those structures in a better place, there is something better coming around the corner.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Exciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
9 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
3 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
3 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
3 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
9 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
26 Go to comments