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Laporte reveals reasons why he bizarrely confronted France's players during the Six Nations

By Online Editors
France players look dejected behind their posts during defeat to England, but it was a familiar sight during their disappointing 2019 Guinness Six Nations campaign (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

French president Bernard Laporte has finally shed light on his bizarre mid-Six Nations showdown with the Jacques Brunel’s squad. 

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It would be unthinkable in rival Six Nations set-ups that a union boss would arrive at a squad’s training base seeking out confrontation with the players. 

However, there were apparently no boundaries in France when Laporte turned up at Marcoussis in the week after the humiliating loss to England at Twickenham for a frank discussion that apparently took place without coach Brunel in the room.

“I had things on my heart and I had to tell them,” explained Laporte following the completion of a campaign where France were fortunate to avoid their fourth defeat in five outings by managing to hold off Italy in Rome in their final match. 

“This time, I took off my president’s jacket and had an explanation between men… I wanted to share my feelings with them from the stands. 

(Continue reading below…)

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“You know, I am a volunteer president, a former club coach who has chosen to leave a very well paid job to serve French rugby. So I will do everything to make it work, both in terms of helping small clubs and training or teams in France,” Laporte told the newspaper edition of Midi Olympique. 

Laporte’s visit to the French squad coincided with a player vote of coincidence to retain Guilhem Guirado as captain amid speculation that Brunel wanted him to step away from the role. 

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The French president insisted he had no involvement in this particular controversy, one of a number that dogged France during a tournament where their underwhelming level of performance left them finishing well off the pace in fourth place.  

“It does not belong to the president of the federation to meddle in these things. Yes, I often want to discuss rugby with the staff and players – which sometimes happens informally – but in no way do I impose my views. 

“On Guirado, it’s a polemic for nothing. Jacques Brunel and Serge Simon have asked him if this role had become too heavy. From what I know, there was never any question of telling him, ‘We take it away from you.’

“Believe me, if we had disrespected Guilhem, I would have intervened. There was no reason for me to do it. There is a staff in place. That’s all.”

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Bernard Laporte, the French Rugby Federation president, looks on during the 2019 Guinness Six Nations match between Ireland and France in Dublin (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Laporte, though, admitted that the sudden parachuting of Brunel into the role of team boss following the December 2017 sacking of Guy Noves hasn’t been a success, France winning just five of their 16 matches since then.

“I was hoping for an electroshock, it didn’t work. In upsetting the staff because things were not going well, we were hoping for a better state of mind but the results did not follow.

“We need to go even further in terms of content and skills. I’m here to find solutions. Things must change and I will listen to the coaches in place to know their feelings. I wish we had a good World Cup in Japan. There is no question of going there as a victim.

France’s Damian Penaud (left) dives to score in Rome on Saturday despite a tackle from Italy’s Edoardo Padovani (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

“I do not want to impose anything on anyone, so I will discuss it very quickly with the people concerned, that is to say with Jacques Brunel and the members of his staff. 

“In my opinion, we need to bring even more skills in the management. We must bring other ideas in this staff and, like the other selections, have a real addition of skills. I want Jacques, but also his assistants share this observation. It must come from them. We will see each other this week to talk about it all.”

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john 55 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

15 Go to comments
A
Adrian 2 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 5 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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