Four in frame for France role after Laporte rejects reports Galthie has the job
Four coaches remain in the frame to become the next France coach, after FFR President Bernard Laporte publicly denied Fabien Galthie had already got the job.
Media outlets were quick to pounce on a report in L’Equipe on Tuesday that Galthie had effectively been handed the keys to the French rugby kingdom. The article claimed his long coronation would start with him joining the national set-up ahead of the World Cup in Japan, leading to a complete takeover from Jacques Brunel after the tournament.
Some reports even named Lyon’s Pierre Mignoni and Toulouse’s William Servat as Galthie’s favoured lieutenants.
But, Laporte told La Provence on Wednesday: “Nothing has been recorded. We will make a decision within two weeks.”
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He did let slip the number of candidates on his all-French shortlist: “Galthie is one of the possibilities. Like three others.”
Laporte’s comment echoed claims by journalist Mathieu Lartot. He told France TV Sport: “Fabien Galthie is not yet the coach of the XV de France.
“He assured me that he had not signed a single contract with the FFR. There are discussions. They are examining avenues for collaboration. Things have been accelerating over the past five days. But that doesn’t mean that the games are over.”
The FFR, too, had weighed into the discussion with a tweet saying:
“Following the statements and assumptions made about the organisation of the staff of the XV de France after the 2019 World Cup, the French Rugby Federation confirms that no contract has been finalised to date. Several hypotheses are being studied.”
Consécutivement aux affirmations et suppositions parues sur l’organisation du staff du XV de France après la Coupe du Monde 2019, la Fédération Française de Rugby confirme qu'aucun contrat n’a été finalisé à ce jour. Plusieurs hypothèses sont à l’étude.
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) April 17, 2019
A second tweet added: “Jacques Brunel will decide on the organisation of his staff and will speak once it has been ratified. Its decision will be taken and communicated within 15 days.”
Concernant l’organisation du staff chargé de la préparation de la Coupe du Monde 2019 au Japon, le sélectionneur, Jacques Brunel décidera de l’organisation de son staff et s’exprimera une fois que celle-ci sera entérinée.
Sa décision sera prise et communiquée sous 15 jours.— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) April 17, 2019
Laporte’s search area for someone to take over from Brunel shrank when France’s clubs voted down a plan to look overseas – ruling his personal choice, Ireland coach Joe Schmidt, along with media favourite Warren Gatland, out of the reckoning.
Outgoing Castres Olympique coach Christophe Urios, for example, took himself off any possible list when he signed a four-year deal with Bordeaux earlier this year. Club president Laurent Marti had expressly sought assurances that Urios would not jump ship for the France post should it be offered before offering him the job.
So, here are the four names most likely to be on Laporte’s short list:
Fabien Galthie – By Laporte’s own admission, the former Montpellier and Toulon coach remains firmly on the list of possibles. It’s a gig that the man who was an experienced international scrum-half in the early years of the FFR president’s reign as France coach in the noughties has coveted for a long time. His big advantage, however – that he is not tied to a current coaching contract – is also his big disadvantage. While he has remained close to rugby in his capacity as a pundit for Six Nations broadcaster France 2, he has been out of coaching since losing the Toulon job at the end of last season. Widely regarded as a smart tactician, his player-management skills have been called into question…
Pierre Mignoni – The head honcho at Lyon has long been mentioned in dispatches as a future France coach. And he is another with long links to Laporte – first as an international player, than as a young coach under Laporte’s wing at Toulon from 2011 to 2015. Mignoni’s star is on the rise. He’s doing smart things at the ambitious club, coaching them to the Champions Cup for the first time last season – and almost certain to repeat that trick again this time around. And he coached the French Barbarians on their tour of South Africa in June 2017. But he’ll likely be expensive. The same year as he took charge of the French Baa-Baas, he signed a long-term deal to stay at Lyon until 2023.
Franck Azema – Last season was a injury-ravaged disaster for Azema’s Clermont. But, like Toulouse the campaign previously – and, perhaps, Toulon this time around – that could be a good thing. Clermont are second in the Top 14; and have a home semi-final in the Challenge Cup on the back of some bonkers all-out attacking rugby. The coach would surely be on any semi-serious list for France’s top job. Azema’s credentials are unimpeachable. He could be just what France needs, and with his Clermont contract up in June 2020, he may be available just when Laporte needs him.
Laurent Travers and Laurent Labit – The Racing duo have been linked to plenty of vacancies recently – including, for a while earlier this year, the Italian job. They, too, have contractual issues. Their current deals tie them to the club until 2021 – but a Top 14 title and two European Cup final appearances since 2016 mean they would be tempting for any union president.
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