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Mike Ford's return to international rugby confirmed
By Martyn Thomas
Mike Ford has been unveiled as Germany’s new head coach.
As exclusively reported by RugbyPass last month, Ford will be charged with plotting the country’s course through November’s Rugby World Cup Repechage and towards Japan 2019.
The former Bath and Toulon boss has signed an initial contract until the end of November, with an option to extend should Germany qualify for the World Cup. He will work alongside director of rugby Kobus Potgieter, who has previously served as head coach, and defence and forwards coach Mouritz Botha.
Ford, who has taken a sabbatical from prospective Major League Rugby franchise Dallas Griffins, has already arrived in Germany and will run the rule over his new players during a training camp in Heidelberg.
“I am delighted that I now have the opportunity to develop such an ambitious team as Germany, and possibly even lead them to a World Cup for the first time,” Ford said in a statement.
“Of course it is a big challenge, but that is what makes this task so attractive. I think that this national team has a lot of potential.”
Germany had been on the lookout for a new coach following the departure of Pablo Lemoine, who last week agreed to take the reins of the Chilean national team.
Ford’s new side face Hong Kong on November 11 to kick off their Repechage campaign in Marseille, and will subsequently face Canada and Kenya at the Pierre-Delort Stadium.
The winner of the round-robin tournament will join New Zealand, South Africa, Italy and Namibia in Pool B in Japan.
Germany’s domestic-based player have gathered in Heidelberg and will remain in camp until the tournament in Marseille. The squad’s overseas players, including those who have left Germany since the WILD Academy was disbanded, will be monitored by coaches in the lead-up to November.
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Latest Comments
I didn't mean to sound down on Dmac. Just looking hard at the bench sub's role of providing impact. I don't think he can do that at 15, and the bench is not really about injury cover anymore (you need to maximise it's use more than that).
He's my first choice of any New Zealander for the 10 jersey with the All Blacks.
Go to commentsAgreed. And I don't have much more to say on it, but I had been having one thought that sprang to mind at the tail of this discussion, and that is that it's not all about Razor.
It's not about any coach being "right". I think a lot of selections can become defense and while it doesn't really apply here I really enjoyed that Andy Farrell just gave into the public demands and changed out his team for the change that had been asked for. Like why not? This is the countries team, keep them engaged. The whole reason i've only just finished watching the game was because I wasn't interested in watching any of the selected players against a team like Italy (still actually enjoyed the first half with the contest Italy made of it).
Faz leap frogs a younger half back into start. He hands the golden child the game over July's golden child. He gives an old winger a go, a new flanker and hooker. None of them really did any good, certainly not enough to suggest they should have been promoted above others, but who cares? You won, and you gave the country what they wanted, that's all that matters after all. It's for the country, not the one in charge who thinks they have to have their own pied piper tune playing.
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