“France-…Nation
Mineure”.
Philippe Saint
André was a popular choice to succeed the
hapless Marc Lièvremont in 2011. The French rugby public was confident that he could
rejuvenate the French national side. But, after two lacklustre 6 Nations
campaigns and the 3-0, whitewash in Australia the Midi Olympique christened
France, “Nation Mineure”, a minor nation. France’s
international rugby side, a year out from the Rugby World Cup, are in crisis
and the national coach is under pressure from all sides.
Saint André is an aristocrat of French rugby, multiple trophy
winner, scorer of legendary tries a true icon of the game. He has begun to lose
the support of the French rugby public supporters’ expectation and anticipation
has been replaced by a leaden reality. At no point has Saint André
accepted any culpability for the team’s poor results. Yet, with a win record of
40% he has a worse record than any of his predecessors. He has consistently
blamed the players never blamed himself
for being unable to motivate his players, for fielding teams who lack
direction, structure and creation, and for making poor selections and a
particular target has been the number of foreign players in the Orange Top14.
Strangely he seems to forget that a dozen or so of those players he signed into
the league while coach of RC Toulon. But, the league has accepted a limit on
how many games their French players can play in a season (34), limits on the
number of foreign players and the extended release of players for preparatory
camps with the national side. For the first time Saint Andre has a camp in
September to prepare for the November internationals. His room for manouvere is
narrowing. Despite this there is a growing sense of disquiet that he is
operating out of his depth.
The “Spoiled brats of 2011” have largely been removed
yet nothing has really changed, there is a sense of inertia, déjà vu around the
team. Saint André’s diatribe against the Top14 is a broken record of a
man unable to change his mindset or more crucially the mindset of the team.
France’s resources are huge, the game awash with money and talent, yet both Wales
and Ireland have performed much better than France with considerably less
assets. France possesses world class players across the pitch; Dusatoir,
Nyanga, Huget, Fofana, Medard to name a few, yet Saint André cannot
get the best out of them. Perhaps, this can best be explained by his handling
of the accomplished Montpellier fly-half François Trinh-Duc. The best most
consistent outside half in France is constantly ignored, apparently because he
does not suit Saint André and his coaching staff, this despite a brilliant
season at Montpellier where the astute Fabien Galthié has built a team around
him, and asked him “to just play”.
The debacle of the Australian tour could prove to be a
watershed for Saint André since France were reduced to a rabble by the end of the 3rd
Test a wave of criticism has begun to build. Saint André’s tenure has been
forensically examined and it can be seen that he has failed to build a team or
give it as strong and identity. In fairness, since the time of Bernard Laporte
France has become a shadow of the team that could play gloriously off the cuff
rugby, score tries from anywhere on the pitch. Now they follow an insipid
template devoid of inspiration, imagination and passion wedded to discipline
and not encouraging their natural inclination to play with individual and
collective flair.
The president of the FFR, Pierre Camou has at last
recognised the problem or more pertinently with an election on 2016 he realises
that he has to do something. His response is to sprinkle some stardust over the
French setup. He has appointed the stellar French player Serge Blanco to an
unspecified position in support of Saint André, this should be a warning to Saint
André, typically though he has underplayed Blanco’s role; "It won`t be too bad a thing to
have someone who can take off my hands certain things like the convention (an
agreement between the league and the federation over the availability of
international players which Blanco negotiated in 2013), and relations with the
clubs," said Saint-Andre.
He was speaking on the side-lines of the
women`s rugby World Cup at the French national rugby centre in Marcoussis.
Saint Andre along with his assistants Yannick Bru and Patrice Lagisquet met
with Blanco briefly at Marcoussis on Tuesday. "Serge had a board meeting
here, and I was working with Yannick and Patrice, so we had a coffee together
and then he had to leave," said Saint André. But, he was not happy to be
pressed on the subject and refused to elaborate on what exact role Blanco would
play.
"I have nothing to say on the subject. We will see," he concluded tersely.
"I have nothing to say on the subject. We will see," he concluded tersely.
Saint André has
to take stock rapidly and prove that he has the resolve and ability for the
job. France are not playing anywhere near their potential, weighed down by
unrealistic expectations, inadequately prepared or perversely, over coached. If
he fails to deliver a remodelled rejuvenated team in November then he will not
be France’s coach for the 6 Nations. It is time for Saint André to take note of
the words of the great French soldier, Marshall Maurice de Saxe, “The first of
all qualities of a general is courage. Without this the others are of little
value since they cannot be used.” Saint André has to stand up for his
convictions and let his side play the way he wants them to play and accept that
he stands or falls on their performance and blame no-one else.
Available
No comments:
Post a Comment