Select Edition

Select Edition

Northern
Southern
Global
NZ
France

Former England player Joe Worsley is back coaching in France

By Online Editors
Former England player Joe Worsley is back coaching in France (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

England World Cup winner Joe Worsley has landed himself a new coaching role - coaching defence at Top 14 outfit Castres. 

The 42-year-old, who was part of Clive Woodward’s all-conquering squad of 2003 in Australia, had recently been a technical adviser with Georgia at the World Cup in France.

After spending his entire playing career at Wasps, Worsley’s coaching career took off in France where he spent seven years involved at Bordeaux, initially as defence coach before climbing the ranks into the head coaching role

He stepped away from them earlier this year but now, following a hiatus with the Georgians in Japan, he has arrived back in France for a job at Castres, who were beaten last weekend in the Challenge Cup at Dragons. 

Worcester are next up for Castres in Europe, but it is on the domestic front where the club will be hoping for Worsley to have an immediate impact having joined on a deal that will take him through to the end of this season.  

(Continue reading below...)

After nine rounds in this year’s Top 14, Castres, now coached by former Argentina prop Mauricio Reggiardo, are struggling in ninth place with just four wins and a points differential of -17. 

They resume their league schedule at La Rochelle on November 30 having lost all five away games this season, four in Top 14 and one in Europe.  

WATCH: Episode two of The Season with Hamilton Boys’ High School – training ramps up a gear as the team hits the gym after the recent victory against Auckland Grammar