'He takes people for idiots' - Fabien Galthie slammed on French TV
Fabien Galthie has been slammed on French television after a press conference given this week in which he addressed France’s exit from the Rugby World Cup.
Former France internationals Cédric Heymans and Richard Dourthe voiced strong criticism on Canal+ against the content of the mid-week press conference delivered by Galthie, 24 days after France’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final loss to the Boks.
It was Galthie’s first public appearance since the defeat and Heymans and Dourthe expressed frustration at what they perceived as a lack of comprehensive analysis regarding Les Bleus’ shortcomings in the tournament.
The pair, known for their outspoken takes, highlighted the absence of detailed insights into the reasons behind the team’s World Cup failure, saying Galthie was ‘eaten’ by Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus.
“This episode shouldn’t make us laugh,” said Dourthe. “I think Fabien Galthié takes people for idiots. Everyone loves him, it’s perfect but they elude all the points that really interest us: why did we lose?
“Why were there so many injured? He smokes everyone with his data and I don’t think that’s what it means, respecting people who like rugby.
“Those who don’t follow rugby appreciate Fabien Galthié, because he has a good image, he knows how to speak, he is a professor of English philosophy… There are results that we cannot take away but in the end we did everything possible to be world champion. At the end we are as good as Fiji, Wales and we are a little better than Romania, Japan or Scotland.”
Heymans also delivered a few shots into the solar plexus of Galthie, who up until now has had a relatively easy ride in the French press.
“He doesn’t talk about subjects that raise questions,” said Heymans. “I don’t want to say that he is smoking us but it’s like the Raymond Devos sketch, “Speak to say nothing”.
“It’s not harsh but why don’t we have any questioning? The result is that we lose in the quarter-final by one point. We have no feedback on its management.
“Is there any questioning of his planning? What is the conclusion then if he does not spare himself from questioning himself since he does not want to change anything? When we lose a quarter-final by one point, by five points or ten points, it’s not the same, because it means that we are overwhelmed. One point, we can talk about strategy, the bench, replacement. About how to manage your half-time. We don’t know that.”
Dourthe concluded with a particularly brutal assessment of Gatlhie’s strategic failure.
“Strategically and tactically, he was eaten by Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber because they planned everything that happened. They brought in Kwagga Smith, Handré Pollard to either manage the match or slow down the game… And that’s what happened, we got eaten!”
Comments on RugbyPass
guys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
1 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
227 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
227 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
227 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
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1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to comments