Philippe Saint-Andre has beaten Michael Cheika to the top job at Montpellier

Montpellier president Mohed Altrad has confirmed that former France boss Philippe Saint-Andre will arrive at the Top 14 club next month as director of rugby. 

Saint-Andre has been away from the professional game since relinquishing the reins as French boss after the 2015 World Cup, busying himself instead with ventures such as setting up PSA Academies which coaches rugby to youngsters in France, England and Ireland. 

It had been speculated for some weeks that Saint-Andre was the prime candidate to succeed Vern Cotter after the widely reported post-World Cup link with Australia’s Michael Cheika went cold. 

Altrad has now revealed his decision has been made. “We changed coaches, (Xavier) Garbajosa arrived. (Jean-Baptiste) Elissalde has arrived (as an assistant). 

“Next month, Saint-Andre will arrive. And we will continue to progress,” explains the president in an interview with L’Agglorieuse, a satirical weekly in Herault. 

Saint-Andre is well-versed in the director of rugby position following similar responsibilities at Gloucester and Sale in England – he guided the latter to Premiership title glory in 2006 – and then at Toulon where he laid the groundwork that Bernard Laporte came in and built on to great success. 

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