New France coach 'will be appointed before 2019 World Cup'
Eight years ago, we knew Philippe Saint-Andre would take over as France coach from Marc Lievremont long before the 2011 World Cup kicked off.
Four years ago, we knew Guy Noves would replace Saint-Andre long before the first match of the 2015 World Cup.
Now we know we will know, some time before the 2019 World Cup, who will take over the hotseat when Brunel clears his desk and leaves the building with his tenure in a box at the end of his existing, extended contract in June 2020.
FFR President Bernard Laporte recently promised he would appoint Brunel’s successor before Japan 2019. “We have agreed that we have to switch quickly to the 2023 World Cup [cycle],” he said in an interview with Le Progrès.
“The next coach will be appointed before the 2019 World Cup. Because the guys I want, if I’m not the one who gets them signed, others will. So we have to move fast.”
Continue reading below…
He also told the paper, without naming names, that he had met ‘the top five coaches in the world’ to discuss the impending vacancy.
Warren Gatland’s name has cropped up repeatedly in articles in France about who will next sit on French rugby’s iron throne. Jon Mitchell and Sir Clive Woodward have also been mentioned as possible first foreign coaches of the French national side. Woodward, famously, unsuccessfully applied for the job in 2015.
Joe Schmidt and Vern Cotter have also been linked with the job – both speak French and have experience of the Top 14, which could be regarded as a positive. Both, however, have appeared to distance themselves from the job. Cotter has said his current role with Montpellier will be his last as a coach, while Schmidt is on record saying he plans to take a long break.
The French press has also put up for consideration a possibly unworkable homegrown dream-team duo of Toulouse’s Ugo Mola and Clermont’s Franck Azema. Christophe Urios mothballed his national dreams for four years at least when he signed for Bordeaux earlier this year. Lyon’s Pierre Mignoni has long been a short-odds favourite among pundits. He has even been mentioned as a possible assistant coach for an overseas choice.
The topic is a hot one in French rugby circles. It was the subject of a Twitter poll for rugby magazine programme Late Rugby Club – and some French heavyweight former players have had their say. An indicative vote, if you will.
Fabien Pelous, the former Toulouse and France lock, was quick to condemn the idea. “Once again, we will try to copy others instead of being proud of who we are,” he told Le Parisien, describing it as, “a snub for some talented technicians who do excellent work in their respective clubs, such as the duo of Laurent Travers and Laurent Labit, Ugo Mola or Franck Azema.”
Ex France coach Yannick Bru, meanwhile, believed overseas coaches would struggle with the French system. Asked by L’Equipe whether either Gatland or Schmidt could succeed where four French coaches in succession have failed, he said: “They are two great technicians, two great managers, but they will not be able to flourish in the current system of French rugby, in the duality that exists between the LNR and the FFR.”
His comments highlight long-standing systemic club-versus-country issues facing French rugby that efforts between the FFR and LNR over the past few years have failed to fully address.
“They’re going to ask for a total of 50 players to be made available,” Bru, now general manager at ProD2 side Bayonne, said. “They will ride over the interests of professional clubs.”
Before any coach is appointed – foreign or otherwise – there is the small matter of a national vote on whether France should go down the overseas route at all.
A letter was sent out last week to every rugby club in France announcing a “referendum consultation on whether to recruit a foreign coach to prepare for the 2023 World Cup”.
The vote – a Laporte promise announced on RMC Sport in January – will take place from 9-11 April. The result should be known on April 12.
Having already set about trying to manage expectations ahead of this year’s World Cup in Japan by saying describing qualification from the pool stages would be regarded as ‘a success’, Laporte told club bosses that he expected players and staff at Japan to be “up to the task of this exceptional event”.
“We must prepare for the future”, he added, looking ahead to France 2023 – where, he said, France should be in a position to challenge for the trophy.
“To achieve this major objective, the possibility of appointing a foreign coach to head our national team is a working hypothesis,” he said, describing it as, “a common practice in most rugby nations.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Well, does that make it every year Moana has lost it’s best player the following year? Normally it’s more immediate I guess, at least there best player had a follow up year this time.
1 Go to commentsFinally, an answer to Dan Carter.
1 Go to commentsNever read such tripe. He was hit just as he passed the ball which was reviewed and deemed legal by yes the Australian TMO and referee
17 Go to commentsTerrible idea…will be too hot, no one will travel, fan zones will be promised nice cold guinness and last minute will get water. Also how do you squeeze this into the already busy battle rhythm, Prem, summer series, 6 nations & world cup….if, and its a big IF you’re going to do this, do it in a rugby nation.
2 Go to commentsWell let’s hope world rugby doesn't read some of this nonsense, because next on the agenda will be…“players will only tackle other players deemed to be in their weight class, and only with moderate velocity”.
17 Go to commentsI was never allowed to adjust boots, or ever replaced, while I was playing and staying on the field. If I had issues, I had to go to the sideline and fix them myself. Then I would ask the ref to get back in. That would really make you deal with it FAST!
4 Go to commentsGreat point. It would be terrible to have a card for poor tackling cost the all blacks a world cup. Oh hi all blacks captain Sam Cane, how you going?
17 Go to commentsI like Andy’s critical approach to all hot issues especially when it comes to the rugby big “bosses”. However, sorry Andy, I don’t support your “we shouldn’t be questioning the integrity of Karl Dickson or any other official”. May I ask why? They do have a lot of responsibility, but they are people like us with all their sins and weaknesses. We have to respect their decision during the games, but why they became untouchable afterwards and people cannot even criticize them and the ones, who does express their concerns, got punished for publicly analyzing their mistakes and asking questions. If they believe they did right, there shouldn’t be a problem for any of the refs to answer these “questions” publicly. I don’t really remember such cases. However, I do remember how Craig Joubert shown his running skills in 2015 or Pascal Gauzere shined in Cardiff in 2021. I do believe that Rassie, as anybody else, had a full right to share his vision of Nic Berry’s performance the same year. I do not support the hate in any form especially in public one, but creating the cast of untouchable refs and rugby bosses is not for me. As for Karl, he had all means to question his appointment for the game and since I don’t now whether he did it, blaming just RFU wouldn’t be quite correct at this moment. I love the game of rugby and almost every time I watch it I don’t support any team, I just wanna see the good game and fair referring. Sorry, Karl. last Saturday you got my Craig Joubert”s award of the round. It is up to Karl to prove that I am wrong, not to Andy or RFU’s corporate bla-bla-bla. Something like that…
1 Go to commentswell remember the blues had a guy called jed rowlands for a season. remember scott took his coaching team with him give him time
15 Go to commentswell maybe he needs to be introduced to darcy swain then who never got anything much and put a cheifs ands allblack player out injured and made him miss a season recovering
17 Go to commentswell maybe the match offficals should sort it out if they are worried about it and stop the clock
4 Go to commentsI totally agree. I also believe that minor injuries unless dangerous must be treared OFF the field of play and the game continue with a temp replacement if necessary.
4 Go to commentsSend the bill to McLennan.
3 Go to comments2 out of 3 were perfect. TMOs love jumping in on anything outside the law. The fact they saw nothing wrong speaks volumes. You want to see what a late blindside hit looks like, watch Kepu take out Carter in the 2015 World Cup final. Completely different to the Tah’s tackle.
17 Go to commentsverkeerde kant van die gereg lol
5 Go to commentsJust like John Plumtree at the Sharks he has had a poor start to this season’s coaching gig, but now it looks like he is starting to pull them back also having won 1 game in the first Eleven games they played. It obviously helps that 11 of his fifteen are Springbok players. But now they are starting to improve. No ways they can make it to the playoffs this year but they probably used this season as a way to figure out their game plan. One query I have and I think quite a few people have is: Are they playing better simply because of their international players are back or is it the team strategy led by Rob Penney that is starting to tick? Well I guess we wait and see. Also if it doesn't work out this season, it might be that Rob Penney is using this season as a way to organize himself for next season. Getting all his combinations sorted, his team strategies sorted and figuring out who is best is which position. Now I don't follow Super Rugby any more having now a full focus in the URC but I was surprised about the current Crusaders stats.
15 Go to commentsIf I’m a little bloke, who’s just had possession of the ball, I should expect to get cleaned up by Samipeni Finau if he’s opposite me and I do nothing to avoid him. FTFY You’ll need to rewrite the rest of your article now Hamish Bidwell. I’m not sorry for having missed reading this one. I find it hilarious it’s only the static aussie 10s, just waiting there, that are getting smashed. Move on your feet guys, haven’t you watched DMac and Mounga play for the last decade ffs. Chin up, at least your smiles should return when BB returns to SR next year and there’s more 10s to the fodder.
17 Go to commentsFinau is not leaving a lot of room for error that’s true, but he committed to 3 out of four tackles when the player had the ball so that’s all legal. (And incredibly entertaining)
17 Go to commentsHow does the size of the ‘bloke being hit’ factor into this? If you’re on the opposing team you are fair game. Is Finau the first person in history to target the first five? It seems like this is a great strategy to interrupt your opponents attack. As far as I’m aware, of the four excellent hits on Aussie first fives this year only one of them was ruled late. So if crying about legal tackles isn’t whingeing, then what is it?
17 Go to commentsThings I want to pay attention to this series. 1) Nothing against the other teams in 6 nations, but apart from Irelands loss to england, I dont feel they got tested, So I think this might be tight. 2) Rassie wants to build depth, and would rather do it before a world cup, but I am sure deep inside, he will be reminded that we have not beaten Ireland in years. 3) Will our new coaches plans be sound abd organised in time for the Ireland series? Remember our warm ups might only see our second or third string players available (When are we going to have one universal calander year?) 4) I see Ireland have moved on from Sexton, but what will Farrels plans be for SA? I am sure he will go for a full strength squad. 5) I think the test for the springboks will be the Durban game, it will be in winter, so not too hot for the Irish,no altitude, and it rains allot, might remind them of home. Loftus, if the springboks play the right game, I feel altitude like with most games before, can cause some challanges. 6) Off topic, but who is both Anxious and excited about what the Abs are coming with? A whole new coaching team and different style of play.
140 Go to comments