French rugby Updates : Le café du Rugby.

Neil3030

"One or two of my comments were small, were disappointing... I showed disrespect by saying that it was an average Toulouse team. This is a team that have won five European cups, and have twenty-two Boucliers. So for anyone that probably played for them, or an ex player, those comments are disappointing and small on my behalf and I accept that now and I think it's important I say that because, you know, if you're a Jauzion or a Dusautoir or a Yannick Nyanga or a Trevor Brennan or Fabien Pelouse, that's their club, you know? What I'm trying to do at La Rochelle is trying to enforce, I suppose, a kind of will-power that we can match these guys, but at the same time obviously you can't dis them and dis their history because it's so powerful."

On the topic thinking clearly in the aftermath of the game:

"I think you are thinking clearly... you have to be able to think clearly but you also have to maybe differentiate a little more accurately, because I thought the performance of Toulouse on the night was quiet average, that doesn't make them an average team, but if you mix your words you can sometimes not portray what your inner feelings are."

Takes a man to admit when his behaviour was small and disrespectful.

nc6000

Maybe he should just stop with the stupid comments?

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120761794#Comment_120761794

Finally got around to listening to the rest.

Class interview, thanks for sharing, phog.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120765784#Comment_120765784

Good interview, wasn't afraid to say he was wrong when he was wrong, the public flogging can be cancelled.

pickarooney

Meafou ruled out of the World Cup (at least for France). World Rugby refuse to give him an exemption. It was a bit touch and go with his knee injury anyway.

sydthebeat

He couldn't have profited from the same exemption that Fakatava got. I think the French were very much trying their luck with this one

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120766286#Comment_120766286

It's 100% the right decision - they were trying to play games with this. He shouldn't have been eligible for this tournament.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120765824#Comment_120765824

Pity some of his staunch defenders here couldn't have the same type reflection rather than spending days circling the wagon around comments that everyone else could see were disrespectful and 'small', to put it mildly.

To this point he hasn't shown the maturity to learn from these types of mistakes but maybe this time will be different.

Neil3030

His evolving leadership nous was clear in that interview. A loss like that (his first time losing a final as a coach?) is probably his biggest disappointment as a coach, and he seems to have a refreshing attitude on reflection, and genuine enthusiasm to get back next season and make it right.

It's getting increasingly irrefutable that he's the next Irish coach after Faz imo, whenever that may be. Unless, perhaps, France come calling first....

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120768780#Comment_120768780

Yes, even in the interview when one of the lads wanted to talk about the H/C trophy ROG was saying no, no, the last match was a loss and then talked up how big the Top14 final is in France.

Buer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120768780#Comment_120768780

It really isn't. And I think he'd be a good appointment.

A couple of points...

Ireland hasn't hired a head coach from outside Irish rugby in almost 30 years. Ashton was the last one. Every coach since was already in the Irish coaching set up or head coach of a province.

In terms of his record, Mark McCall had a significantly higher level of success and silverware and was never in the mix. Which I think reenforces my first point.

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120768846#Comment_120768846

Did McCall ever want the Ireland job though? Or any gig at the International level? I always got the impression he was/is perfectly happy to see out his career at Sarries.

ROG on the other hand, has made clear noises about wanting to coach at international level, and is keeping his profile fresh in Ireland with his media work, etc.

You're right that it'd be a serious pivot from current IRFU policy, but one that they may feel compelled to make.

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120768780#Comment_120768780

He lost to Toulouse in the champions cup final 2 years ago.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120768984#Comment_120768984

Indeed! Don't post facts! It's annoying, lol.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120769294#Comment_120769294

To be fair to Neil, he didn’t state it as fact, he put a question mark in there, like.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120769359#Comment_120769359

There might be a thread over on the golf forum I think where someone argued with a Munster fan if you want to jump in there and tell everyone what they actually said. 🙃

phog

While I agree that the IRFU usually appoint from within there really hasn't been too many Irish head coaches outside of Ireland that might want to come home & take up the head coach spot. That could well be leading them in the direction since the appointed Ashton.

God what a disaster he was.

Neil3030

Still his first big loss as the sole numero uno. Gibbes was DOR when they lost in 2020.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120769419#Comment_120769419

Mod: Attack the post, not the poster.

Podge_irl

I'd say the IRFU will have limited interest in him both due to his being out of the system and due to his disciplinary record and conduct which they would want to see an improvement on. I don't think we ever would have countenanced an Eddie Jones-esque character no matter their record.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120769623#Comment_120769623

Nah, I disagree. If there’s a vacancy in the next couple of years and he states a public interest in the role then I can’t see how he isn’t a very serious candidate for the role.

For all the things I think about how he conducts himself in the press, there is no denying that he is an excellent tactical coach and that his players love playing for him.

Ironically, his biggest competitor for the role though could well be Paul O’Connell.

accensi0n

ROG, Sexton and Humphreys as next coaching group.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120769662#Comment_120769662

The Mark McCall thing is an interesting comparator, but indeed I don't know whether he was ever actively interested in the role. Also he's from Ulster so inevitably overlooked slightly...

He will obviously be treated as a serious contender by the media, I'm just far from convinced the IRFU will actually view him that way. But we're all playing guessing games really. I get the impression POC would not enjoy a head coach role I have to say.

Dubinusa

I reckon it could be Easterby. He's been in the systems for years.

Neil3030

Mike Prendergast will some day rise to the national setup imo. Much as that will be bittersweet for Munster fans. Not a head coach, but he has every other box ticked for me. A talented, intelligent and innovative coach. Stands out for me by a mile on the Access Munster content.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120769662#Comment_120769662

Ignoring his media immaturity, he is a great club coach and the Irish media will be drooling about getting him into the seat but I'm currently very skeptical about how his skillset transfers to international level.

He benefits from being able to go out each year and sign players who fit the tactics he wants to play. His team is filled with massive men and the Irish side cant go out and pick them up (anymore). An Irish side simply wouldn't get away with playing the same way LAR do. Does he have flexibility in his tactics to play a game plan that would fit Irish players?

His club squad love him but in that scenario his detail focus is building on little things week over week with the same group of players, especially as he loses a relatively small proportion of players to international rugby. Does that work at international level, where he'd see far players less of players and guys are dropping in and out of his team and wider squad?

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120769679#Comment_120769679

ROG maybe

Sexton has he expressed an interest in coaching

Humphreys not really sure he has set the world alight.

Also I don't see 3 outhalfs being on the same coaching ticket ever.

pickarooney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120769942#Comment_120769942

I think he listed 14 LAR players called up to various international squads this summer.

Inevitably with the club's success the French players are getting more notice and they have a number of T2 internationals in their ranks.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120775178#Comment_120775178

None of at that impacts the point I was making.

Summer call ups in a WC year dont impact the time ROG has been able to spend with his team during the year since he took over a LAR. He has had the vast majority of his team all season and gets to even do mini-camps with them during international breaks. They haven't lost near as many plaers during the AIs as most other big club sides and an even smaller number during 6 nations. French players are getting more notice but that hasn't been the case since ROG took over.

I'm not saying ROG can't pivot his approach and be successful but doesn't have it on his CV yet so it would be a risk factor in an Irish appointment.

ersatz

The integrated coaching system that Ireland have developed has worked remarkably well (excluding wc) and I’d be surprised if they abandoned it to bring rog straight in as head coach. I wonder if the plan involves poc or one of the others stepping up if Farrell moved on and rog coming in as assistant initially.