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Ghost from New Zealand's World Cup past has landed a coaching job in their Heartland
New Zealand rugby is about to encounter a ghost from its World Cup past as Raphael Ibanez, the hooker on the France teams that infamously knocked the All Blacks out of the 1999 and 2007 World Cups, is set to become the first French coach to work on the North Island.
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Without a coaching job since leaving Bordeaux-Bègles in March 2017, the former hooker, who has 98 Test caps, will become assistant coach at Thames Valley for their Heartland Championship campaign.
The current French TV analyst had been in advanced contact for several months with the New Zealand province and he received a letter a few days ago formalising his invitation to link-up with them from July to October.
After two years away from the training ground, Ibanez is thrilled to get his coaching career back up and running in a place he describes as the best rugby country in the world.
“It’s a project I had in mind for a long time,” said Ibanez in Wednesday’s edition of L’Equipe, the daily French sports newspaper.
“The New Zealand Federation (NZRU) is proud to send its best managers around the world (Warren Gatland in Wales, Joe Schmidt in Ireland, Vern Cotter in France/Scotland). This is completely legitimate when their national team is double world champions.
“But to go the other way, a foreign coach in a New Zealand staff is almost impossible. The NZRU controls and centralises everything: clubs, players, coaches. It does not shock me at all. It made the project more difficult, but it seems that I am persevering.
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“My profile helped, but it was mostly my friends on the spot who were very supportive: Tony Marsh, my former team-mate from France, who is in Auckland; Leon Holden, who was my coach at London Wasps, who lives in Waikato province.
“In fact, the Wasps connection played hard. I’m thinking of Shaun Edwards (the current Wales defence coach), my mentor of genius, who helped me at a Welsh selection camp in 2017. I spent five days in their training centre, sleeping on site at the Vale of Glamorgan.
“Warren Gatland (Wasps coach between 2002 and 2005) opened everything to me, but I was just an observer on a personal study trip. There, Gatland personally supported my candidacy for it to be done with Thames Valley. In addition, this is the first province he trained (between 1994 and 1996), I guess it had to play in the decision.
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https://twitter.com/fmazet/status/1113358282771632129
“I hope for a great rugby and cultural adventure because the two aspects are strongly related there. Especially since I’m going to coach up: an agreement was also signed with the province of Counties Manukau, another team based in South Auckland, for me to come regularly to their sessions.
“That’s it, it’s very open. I plan to optimise my time there. It will be a winter rugby (reverse season compared to France), but it does not matter. I will be at the heart of their system. I go there with a great desire, but very humbly…
“I will be assistant coach, I guess, although I do not know if I’ll have a title. As a matter of fact, Matt Bartleet met his staff on Monday to discuss the upcoming feature for this season.
Asked if his presence in New Zealand will have the locals recalling how Ibanez’ France national teams caused them so much World Cup heartbreak by defeating them in London on 1999 and again in Cardiff eight years later, the soon-to-be-assistant is hoping for a warm welcome.
“New Zealanders have memories, but I’m no longer a player. I come for something else, with a very enthusiastic mindset, in order to get the most out of things. I go there to discover their rugby from the inside.
“I’m very interested, in particular, to discover the schools, to see how one prepares to become a professional player, what are the links which unite the school environment and the clubs.”
Since leaving Bordeaux, Ibanez has kept his hand in by visiting various different set-ups. “I went on a rugby trip to better understand the training methodologies. I really needed this material after the end of the story in Bordeaux.
“I went visiting Munster, Leinster, the national team for Wales and finally two weeks with New Zealand provinces (Wellington and Waikato). I was not too wrong because, since then, Leinster has become European champion and the Welsh have just done the Grand Slam!
“It was great, very informative, but the big difference this time is I will be coaching full time. I will be part of Thames Valley technical support. I exchanged a lot with head coach Matt Bartleet – whom I have not met yet physically – and we are convinced that we have many ideas to share.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I still see nothing in Sotutus play that hes changed his upright running style that failed so many times against decent international defences like the french. Other than that… Iose? Well you have covered his limitations well. If Sititi had been playing the the season… Jacobson? Grace?…Neither shout pick me. So Ardie it is.
1 Go to commentsThere isn’t one element you mentioned there that every top class or successful team gets up to. The great All blacks sides used to play on the ‘fringes or edge’ but it was essentially saying they were doing something illegal or borderline to gain dominance. The fine margins at the top are minute between the top sides. La Rochelle, the crusaders, Saracens, Toulon etc etc…..have all been accused. Get over it, the comment comes across as salty and naive. Northampton as well as they played to get back into the match were thoroughly beaten and controlled for 60 minutes and Leinster have only themselves to blame for kicking it away and hence losing control of the match and being nearly the architects of their own downfall.
2 Go to commentsThere is some talent coming thru thats for sure. The 10 looks special to me. Rico Simpson is a name to look for in the future.
1 Go to commentsI think this quiet honestly is just an innocent misunderstanding by someone who is pig sh*t stupid. Eben is a fine player but by christ, if he can’t understand or get what the Irish players were trying to say to him after the match…..well i hope he has someone looking after his finances, career and is reading the fine print for him, cause life after rugby may be quite difficult for the vacuous echo chamber.
27 Go to commentsIt could be Doris' day!
3 Go to commentsThe whole thing has blown up because Eben’s words have clearly struck a nerve in Ireland. Otherwise they would just laugh it off. I think some former Irish players, commentators and some Irish fans know deep down this Ireland team started to believe its own press and that a certain amount of arrogance had started to creep in during the World Cup. The topic was actually brought up by Irish pundits on Off the Ball recently. It’s fine to be arrogant if you can back it up. Ireland didn’t.
27 Go to comments‘The Irish are good people'. Why is Goode praising a people who hate his own? Wet wipe.
27 Go to commentsLa mejor final que se puede ver en el emisferio norte.
1 Go to commentsA lot of cope from south africans in the comments. Etzebeth is a liar and a hypocrite; you don’t have to defend him!
27 Go to commentsHe got big and really slow for a flyhalf…not sure he’s relevant in a bok conversation anymore
4 Go to commentsBest tourney team vs best team in the regular season for 3 games in RSA - talk is cheap, let’s see what’s what on the tour
27 Go to commentsOne overlooked statistic from their 2016 winning season is the Huricanes are still the only team in Super rugby history not to concede a try during the playoff rounds.
4 Go to commentsThanks for the article, Nick. The Nienaber blitz D does ask a lot of its scrumhalf. I have been watching JGP on D and he often looks like he has mastered what Nienaber asks for better than Faf de Klerk and Cobus Reinach! 🤣 Impressive season by JGP if I must make an understatement.
22 Go to commentsOkay last one. I promise. I think it’s despicable for Andy Goode to suggest that Eben can’t count to 12. To be fair he only had to count to 8 - the number of Irishmen who DIDN’T say that. Less the 3 kiwis of course. 23 - 12 - 3 = 8. See Joe. I can do maffs.
27 Go to commentsCheers, Nick! How do you see the Reds’ Jock Campbell’s play this year? Not as strong a carrier as Andrew Kellaway or Tom Wright, but does avoid errors. Do you see Joe Schmidt as wanting safety first at 15 or a try-assisting counterattacker?
91 Go to commentsI’m sure this was all just a big misunderstanding. Irishmen and Afrikaaners conversing in a noisey stadium. Not easy to get the right messages across. A minefield.
27 Go to commentsSay what you will about Andy Goode. But he is right about one thing… I’m not sure what that one thing is exactly… but I’m willing to hear him out.
27 Go to commentsAnother article to bait and trigger Irish fans. This must stop.
27 Go to commentsHi Nick. Thanks for your +++ ongoing analysis. Re Vunivalu, He’s been benched recently and it will be interesting to see what Kiss does with him as we enter the backend of SRP. I’m still not sold.
91 Go to commentsIn the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
2 Go to comments