Betsen: Manager's pain will drive France despite great expectations

Rafael Ibanez has endured the crushing disappointment of failing to lead his country to Rugby World Cup glory on home soil which makes his role as France team manager absolutely crucial as the team prepares to deal with the burden of winning the 2023 tournament which kicks off next Friday in Paris.

Serge Betsen, the legendary France flanker, was in the 2007  team captained by Ibanez that finished fourth as the host nation and he believes the former hooker can help the current players find that elusive winning “recipe” for a first title at the 10th attempt.

France has ended with runners’ up medals three times losing to New Zealand twice in Auckland in 1987 and 2011 and against Australia in Cardiff in 1999 when Ibanez was captain.

Besides the All Blacks in 1987 and 2011 and South Africa in 1995 no other host country has successfully dealt with the pressure of delivering a home Cup triumph with England failing to get out of their pool in 2015.

New Zealand's Richie McCaw holds the trophy as he shakes hands with France's Raphael Ibanez in November 2006 in Paris (Photo by Ross Land/Getty Images)

Dealing with the massive expectation of the French nation this year will be vital which makes the presence of Ibanez, appointed as the French national Team Manager with Fabien Galthié as Head Coach in 2020, so important.

Betsen, who also played alongside Ibanez at Wasps, appeared in 10 World Cup matches in the 2003 and 2007 tournaments winning 63 caps in his test career and said:  “France is one of the most successful teams in the nine World Cups but unfortunately we haven’t managed to win the tournament and that bloody trophy!

“It is a real challenge for us to find the secret, the recipe of winning that trophy. Now, with this tournament, we are in a good position to complete the task and Rafael understands how the pressure can build up.

“The expectation is bigger than 2007 because the team didn’t lose last year and beat all the teams they will face. That is why the expectation is real but we are in a difficult section of the draw and Rafael knows all about this and has played in the final of a World Cup.

“Rafael has shown as a player and captain that while he is naturally an introvert, it is more about your actions not just talking. That is why he is the best and he will make sure the team is ready by creating the right environment to be successful. Along with Fabien Galthie, William Servat and Shaun Edwards, they know how important leadership is for the squad.

“It would be huge to win the World Cup because we have done this in football and a number of other sports in France like handball. Hopefully, we will be doing something special starting with the first game with New Zealand.”

Ibanez, 50, started his career with Dax, going on to win 98 caps - 41 as captain - and was part of the French team that won back to back Grand Slams in 1997, 1998. He captained his country in the 1999 Cup final and at the 2007 Cup, playing in a total of 18 matches in three tournaments.

Ibanez, who joined Saracens after the 2003 Rugby World Cup, moved to Wasps in 2005 and in three seasons with the club won the Powergen Cup, the Heineken Cup and the Guinness Premiership title. As a proven winner other competitions, now he must help lift the ultimate rugby prize.

Betsen is putting his faith in his former captain and added: “It will be tricky and we already have some injury problems. First we must get through the pool stage and see what comes up and I don’t want us to be like England in 2015 and not get through to the knock out stages. We have good momentum going into this World Cup and I trust the players and the management to create real positivity and victory would show everyone our sport is one of the best in the world.

“I tried to avoid talking about the tournament in 2007 and I wanted to concentrate, as I had done in 2003, on being the best possible player and do everything I could do to focus on the task and not talk about expectation.”