Speculation mounting on who will takeover from failing Noves regime
Fabien Galthie has rejected suggestions he could replace France coach Guy Noves, whose future is under scrutiny following a dismal November series.
FFR president Bernard Laporte has said he will allow himself a fortnight’s reflection before deciding on Noves’ future, his coaching staff, and even a number of players.
But speculation is mounting that the former Toulouse’s coach’s time in charge of Les Bleus is short. Only France Barbarians – the nation’s ‘A’ side – won their November match against Maori All Blacks. The nominal first team lost to New Zealand, South Africa and scraped a draw against Japan.
Asked at a press conference ahead of Toulon’s Top 14 match against Lyon whether he would be interested in taking the Marcoussis hotseat if it should become vacant, Galthie said: “Frankly, no … The question has not even come up … It’s an interesting subject, but as far as I am concerned it is off-topic.”
Read more: 9 coaches who could take on France job if it all goes bad for Noves
His comments came hours before the LNR, which runs the Top 14 and ProD2 professional leagues, surprisingly called on the FFR to speed up negotiations over the development of international players.
The LNR said in a statement that it “is ready to start as soon as possible joint work with the FFR on a roadmap for the development of a new convention that was agreed last May”.
A new agreement on the release and training of a 45-strong elite squad of players is due to be renegotiated before next June. But Les Bleus’ disastrous November series prompted the LNR to call for greater urgency.
Any future convention should help advance “priority issues” for French rugby, the LNR said – including, “the emergence and playing time of a new generation of players constituting the breeding ground of the XV of France”, as well as “optimising the welfare and provision of international players”, and improving relations between the amateur and professional game in France.
The move is a blatant LNR attempt to steal a march on FFR President Laporte, who is riding a wave since France’s successful bid to host the 2023 World Cup. Tensions have been simmering in the twin corridors of French rugby power since Laporte was elected to the presidency in December 2016.
Read more: The opening salvos in French rugby’s new battle over central contracts have begun
He had enjoyed some early success. After winning the presidency by appealing to the hearts and minds of amateur clubs, he forced the LNR to expand the nascent elite player squad from 30 to 45.
But – until the World Cup vote – a conflict of interest scandal had threatened to overshadow his brief presidency. His alleged involvement in an FFR appeals committee decision to reduce sanctions against Montpellier, remains the subject of a government investigation. The club is owned by the Altrad Group which also sponsors France’s shirts and with whom Laporte had a separate business relationship.
The successful World Cup bid effectively silenced most of the criticism – but the November debacle gave the LNR a chance to take a new rugby high ground. In its statement, it said it “will approach with determination and responsibility these fundamental discussions for the future of French rugby leading to the 2019 and 2023 World Cups”.
Suddenly, Laporte is on the back foot again…
Comments on RugbyPass
Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments