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EXCLUSIVE: Toulon's rot could spread to French team warns man who coached both sides
Philippe Saint-Andre believes France’s hopes of dragging themselves back up the World rankings could be undermined by the dreadful season captain Guilhem Guirado and Mathieu Bastareaud are enduring with Toulon.
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France, currently ranked a lowly ninth in the World, start their Guinness Six Nations fixtures at home to Wales on February 1 and are in desperate need of a strong campaign before facing a daunting World Cup where they are in the same pool as England, Argentina, Tonga and the USA.
The demise of Toulon, a club Saint-Andre used to mastermind, is a real worry with the big spending outfit lying 11th in the Top 14 and were dumped out of the European Champions Cup in the pool stage. Saint-Andre, the former France captain and head coach at the 2015 World Cup in England, said: “Toulon is a mystery and it is a worry because we have the captain Guilhem Guirado and Mathieu Bastareaud the vice-captain, who are both key players for France.
“When you look at the season for both of them then they have not won many matches for Toulon or France. The losing percentage is very high and it is means they are not in a good positive position and do not have the winning habit. Toulon is in a transition year having lost a lot of players and need to rebuild with young players. It will take them some time to get back to the top.”
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France are currently just one above Argentina in the World rankings thanks to their shock 21-14 loss to Fiji in Paris in the final November test match. France have made at least the quarter-finals of every World Cup and have been losing finalists on three occasions but there is a real danger they could fail to get out of their pool in Japan.
Saint-Andre left the French head coach role in the wake of a 62-13 thrashing by eventual champions New Zealand in the last eight and admits France need all the help they can get in Japan. He believes that could come in the form of Argentina’s decision to continue to ignore many of their European players.
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He told RugbyPass: “ When you look at the recent results of the teams then you think that it will be England first in the pool and then France but anything can happen at a World Cup and just look at 2015 when the English at home did not make the quarter-finals. France will play three warm up games for the Cup and then there is the problem of injuries with such a long Top 14 season and so the reality of now and the reality in eight months means it is very difficult to predict what will happen.
“Let’s be honest here. We are ninth in the World and we haven’t had consistency for six or seven years. When you look at the French team’s record you have to ask can we win six games in a row at a World Cup? But, I feel we can beat some good teams in the Six Nations and then in the World Cup we can qualify for the quarter-finals and I don’t believe we are going to be facing the kind of Argentina that made the semi-finals of the 2015 Cup in England.
“In the last couple of seasons they have lost around 80 per cent of their games including to France in November. The big question for me is will Argentina continue with the policy of not picking all of their guys in England and France? It will be tough for Argentina unless they change the rules for the World Cup because it would make their squad much better because there are some great players in the Top 14 and in England as well.
“If Argentina only use the players who are operating at home then they will struggle at the World Cup with the depth of players. If you are playing every four or five days against teams like England, France, Tonga and the USA then it is very tough. There aren’t easy games and so it is vital to have depth and quality and that means more than 30 good players not just 15.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Oh 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?
2 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!
2 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.
7 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 commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to comments