Patrick Arlettaz, co-entraîneur des Bleus malgré lui
Patrick Arlettaz est un personnage de l’ombre que rien de destinait à se retrouver dans la lumière bleue. Et pourtant, aujourd’hui, c’est lui qui passe les coups de fil aux joueurs sélectionnés dans le groupe France pour préparer le Tournoi des Six Nations 2024.
En juin 2023, c’est lui qui en a reçu un, de la part de Fabien Galthié, sélectionneur du XV de France, quelques jours après la promotion de son équipe de Perpignan dans le Top 14 après avoir battu Grenoble dans le match d’accession.
Un déjeuner d’avril 2023
Il pensait lever un peu le pied après une bonne partie de sa carrière passée à l’USAP, son club de toujours (il est aussi passé à Narbonne et Montpellier). Il est né à Perpignan (il y a 51 ans), a joué à Perpignan (1992-1996) et a entraîné à Perpignan (2012-2023).
Et c’est à Perpignan que les liens se sont noués avec Galthié au fil des ans, jusqu’à ce déjeuner d’avril 2023 qu’il raconte à L’Equipe. « On était dans un coin là-bas (il pointe une table de l’autre côté du restaurant), on a commencé le repas à midi, on est partis à 18h », raconte-t-il.
« On a sorti les stylos, fait des schémas sur des nappes. Et là, je me suis dit que ça l’intéressait beaucoup quand même, qu’il me posait beaucoup de questions. Nos échanges ont continué et il m’a annoncé la bonne nouvelle en juin. »
Une sélection en passant
Patrick Arlettaz ne s’est pas fait prier pour intégrer le staff des Bleus en remplacement de Laurent Labit, parti au Stade Français Paris, même si absolument rien ne le prédisposait à se rapprocher de l’équipe de France. Il ne compte en effet qu’une seule sélection en bleu, en 1995 contre la Roumanie (il a marqué un doublé).
« C’était une sélection en passant qui venait me remercier, me féliciter pour les quelques saisons que j’avais fait à l’USAP, mais ça s’est arrêté très vite. J’ai toujours été un joueur de club », a-t-il évoqué sur France Bleu Roussillon.
Il a un côté Gérard Darmon, Patrick Arlettaz, accentué par sa façon de prendre du recul sur sa nouvelle vie, lui qui pense encore que Galthié aurait pu « prendre d’autres noms, plus clinquants, plus bankables, plus lisses, plus cadres Fédé… » que le sien, comme il le détaille dans L’Equipe.
Il y confi être « excité, stressé, impatient (…) J’y vais avec beaucoup de modestie, je ne connais pas du tout ce type de fonctionnement ». Il ne connait pas les joueurs intimement, mais parfaitement sur le plan rugbystique. Il espère néanmoins être digne de la mission qui lui a été confiée et c’est, pour lui, le plus important.
Son mantra : ne pas décevoir ceux qui ont confiance en lui
« J’ai toujours fonctionné comme ça : ne pas décevoir les gens qui me font confiance », dit-il encore. « D’un autre côté, je me dis que s’il l’a fait, c’est aussi pour ma personnalité, pour que je vienne en étant moi-même. Ça me va bien cette histoire. »
Amateur de beau jeu – celui des Néo-Zélandais, des Irlandais et des Français, pas celui des Sud-Africains, assure-t-il ; « j’ai une philosophie qui va plus vers la possession, la prise d’initiatives » – on le dit exalté, très humain, courageux, prêt à prendre des risques, magnifique conteur, adoré de ses joueurs et adepte des punchlines, sauce catalane : « Je ne veux voir que des ‘teignous’, il faut aller au maille, fraï ! », rapporte le Midi Libre.
Il se prépare à prendre des coups, comme il en a si souvent pris à Perpignan. « Ce qui m’importe le plus, c’est de convaincre les joueurs. S’ils disent à un moment donné que je ne suis pas au niveau, ça me ferait mal. Les autres, comme je n’ai ni Instagram, ni Facebook, je les laisse commenter », assure-t-il.
Les premiers éléments de réponse seront visibles dès le 2 février lorsque la France recevra l’Irlande à Marseille. Plus sûrement au terme du dernier match du Tournoi 2024 face à l’Angleterre le 16 mars à Lyon.
Comments on RugbyPass
What drivel. Rugby as a contact sport should not be further diminished by crying over legal hard tackles. Take on the line? Be ready to take the hit. This is PC nonsense.
2 Go to commentsGregor Paul is going to be proved totally wrong. The Crusaders will get in the top 8 and are capable of winning this comp. The return of magnificent captain and player Scott Barrett on Friday was huge. There are a number of players returning and Ethan Blackadder showed huge progression in only his third game back. Christian Lio-Willie has added a new dimension , these two’s combination with Cullen Grace was fantastic. This builds depth when you have outstanding players like Tom Christie and Dom Gardiner also available. The tight five improved ten fold and this is with Tamaiti Williams and Codie Taylor being back.Others are set to return. Johnny McNicoll on his return home has been a revelation. Paul can dismiss Fridays win by the Crusaders as much as he likes and he will prove very popular in this country in doing so. But he will be proved wrong , Rob Penney and his coaching team will have the last laugh.
7 Go to commentsI haven’t seen or heard to many whinging about Finau quite the opposite. The TMO’s have reviewed each time and taken no action, so if they have now been alerted it’s not from people whinging The player comes flying out of the line and launches himself at the attacker so it is probably ruled as a committed tackle, but at what point does it move to tackling a player without the ball Time will tell
2 Go to commentsThis cracked media record of aligning success or failure on head coaches is remarkable. Using the crusaders past history as an example, a more sensible observation and analysis could be that the recent head coaches had inherited a extremely successful combination of players linked to their traditional historical support of the Canterbury people. That period ended this year when the new coach was introduced to virtually a new team. And in a year where other franchises have grown much stronger than their respective past, it was always an anticipated reality that the coach and his new crusader team were up against it. Therefore, I humbly believe that unlike some commentators present, I laud coach Penny and the team for their efforts to date and I am sure given another term and with Canterbury behind them they will be riding high once more. Strange all this coming from me who lives in Taupo and a one eyed chiefs supporter. Can't wait for all future chiefs and crusader games!
7 Go to commentsGrt bench player..keep him there..
3 Go to commentsA Springbok 2-0 win: haha told you we were champions now shut up An Irish 2-0 win: the referee was under orders from world rugby to cheat us but luckily we don’t care because this is part of Rassie’s grand world Cup plan.
112 Go to commentsI hope they didn’t pay Jones fee?
2 Go to commentsTo be fair, the teams he's had to put out are reminiscent of those available to Gatland during his horrible run at the Chiefs in late 2020. Anyway, he's only got a two year contract and Wellingtonian Tamati Ellison will be ready by then, as will a lot of talented youngsters (like the Chiefs Gatland blooded). The Crusaders are planning for the long term.
7 Go to commentsGreat to see more community spending leading to higher participation in the community. It's a long road but that's a good first step.
2 Go to commentsPoetic justice for trying to sell him to Australia as another kiwi saviour coach, not ! Deans was just as bad actually but McCaw and Carter covered up for him. That’s why they didn’t want him as All Black coach, even after Graeme Henry’s bumbling effort in 2007.
7 Go to commentsSACK HIM !
7 Go to commentsSafas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
112 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
112 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
112 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
112 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
112 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to comments