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Reports in France have claimed that current Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has applied for a role as an assistant coach for France following the Rugby World Cup.
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According to Midi Olympique, the 49-year-old was among a number of candidates bidding to take charge of the attack at Fabien Galthie’s side.
Galthie is currently seeking out a new attack coach for Les Bleus to replace Laurent Labit following the flagship tournament later this year. Townsend, whose contract with Scottish Rugby comes to an end following the tournament, apparently ‘presented his candidacy’ to the FFR.
Stade Français head coach Gonzalo Quesada also applied for the position.
The news came after headlines around new Toulon head coach Pierre Mignoni being pursued by Galthie for the role lead to an emergency meeting between club owner Bernard Lamaitre and Mignoni this week. Galthie wanted Mignoni to join Stade Francais forwards Laurent Sempéré in a new look coaching ticket.
The upshot of the meeting is that Mignoni has committed to Toulon and will honour his contract which ends in 2026.
By the end of the 2023 Rugby World Townsend will have been in charge for six years, having taken over the reins from Vern Cotter in 2017, and he seems to making plans for his post-Murrayfield coaching career.
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The former Glasgow Warriors Head Coach has been at the helm for over 60 Tests and had previously taken Scotland to its highest place in the world rankings of fifth in the 2017/18 season.
In 2021 Townsend took charge of the British & Irish Lions’ attack for the tour of South Africa. It was the first time the former Scottish playmaker was part of a Lions coaching team, having previously toured South Africa triumphantly as a player in 1997.
Townsend made six appearances for the Lions during that tour, scoring two tries against the Sharks and Northern Transvaal. The Scotsman also started the first two Tests at outside half as the Lions secured an historic series victory over the Springboks on what proved to be Townsend’s sole Tour.
In the 1999 Five Nations Championship, Townsend became the first Scotsman since 1925 to score a try against every other country as Scotland were crowned champions. Overall, he made 82 appearances for Scotland and scored 164 points while he spent his club career playing in Scotland, England, France and South Africa.
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Townsend’s not the only one looking to make a move, indeed some of his own coaching staff have already made theirs, with Scottish Rugby today confirming that AB Zondagh has left the set-up. He is reportedly set to join Lyon.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to comments