Eddie Jones poised to recruit recently sacked Top 14 coach - report

Eddie Jones’ next staff recruitment for the Wallabies is set to be Pierre-Henry Broncan, the Frenchman who recently lost his job as boss at Top 14 club Castres. Broncan had been contracted to the French side until 2024 when he was replaced by Jeremy Davidson following a poor run of form over the winter.

It was just over a month ago that Castres reacted to a 17-32 home loss to La Rochelle by sacking Broncan, a result that at the time left the club in 11th place, just two points clear of 13th place Perpignan in the relegation playoff spot.

That changing of the guard has now resulted in Jones reportedly snapping up the services of the free agent to help the newly recruited scrum coach Neal Hatley out with the forwards.

It was in 2018 at Bath when Broncan first encountered Jones, the then-England coach. Having arrived from Toulouse, he stayed for two seasons under Todd Blackadder before returning to France to assist in the recruitment at Castres. After taking charge of the team some months later, he led them to the final of the 2022 Top 14 where they lost out to Montpellier.

Jones was recently in France on a facilities tour ahead of the upcoming Rugby World Cup and after reconnecting with Broncan, he has seemingly offered him a soon-to-be-confirmed role with the Wallabies.

Rugbyrama.fr reported: “Pierre-Henry Broncan will participate in the World Cup,” began the French media report. “The technician will probably be a consultant to Eddie Jones’ Australia. He will intervene in the game of the forwards alongside Neal Hatley.

“Less than a month after being ousted from his duties as manager of Castres on February 20, the technician will bounce back with the Australian team for which he will hold the position of consultant in charge of the forward games. He should commit to the Wallabies at the beginning of next week.

“His mission will take effect from May and will last until the end of the Australian adventure at the World Cup. The Frenchman’s goal will be clear: to help the Wallabies become world champions, nothing less!

“Broncan was contacted by Eddie Jones, whom he had known during his time in Bath when the latter was still the England coach.

“The two men remained very close after this experience. We remember in particular that Jones had come on holiday to the French technician during one of his last visits to France and that he had on this occasion attended a Castres match in Montpellier after taking part in the week of training at Castres.

“Five months before the start of the World Cup, Broncan was chosen to bring his expertise to the Wallabies, who were losing momentum before Jones took office last January.”