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Legendary French back rower the latest to criticise the Les Bleus
By Alex Shaw
Former Brive and Montferrand back rower Olivier Magne is the latest luminary of French rugby to criticise the current squad and has pulled no punches in his assessment of the side.
Magne, who won 89 caps for France in a 10-year international career, is currently a consultant for Eurosport, but he also spent three seasons coaching the French U20 side and knows well the challenges that face Les Bleus at the highest level.
Speaking to Midi Olympique,the 45-year-old highlighted France's inability to compete at maximum intensity for 80 minutes and the subsequent effects on their decision-making, particularly in late-game situations.
He went on to state that this generation of French players have become associated with defeat and that it has psychologically traumatised them, adding that they have forgotten rugby requires responsibility and initiative.
The former flanker went even further, advocating a full changing of the guard at the senior level, insisting he would take a group of younger players and "embark on a new adventure", with the current generation "incapable of winning anything". Among the players Magne highlighted as capable of stepping up and being given "long-term responsibilities" were Sekou Macalou and the Toulouse half-back pairing of Antoine Dupont - the number one ranked scrum-half on the RPI - and Romain Ntamack, combining the club pairing at the heart of the French team.
Ntamack, 19, made his international debut on Friday evening against Wales and has been playing well for Toulouse in the Heineken Champions Cup and Top 14, whilst Macalou and Dupont are two players Magne knows well from his time as the French U20 coach.
Magne was also quick to praise the abilities of Morgan Parra and Camille Lopez, stating that Parra "should've been the greatest captain in the history of the French team", but maintained that it is now the moment to "set the kids up and, if necessary, give them some time."
A trip to Twickenham awaits France on Sunday, where they will meet an England side buoyed by their impressive win over Ireland in Dublin, something which should only add to the fiery nature of the annual 'Le Crunch' between the two nations.
It's unlikely Jacques Brunel will make sweeping changes to his side for such a testing challenge, but with a World Rugby U20 Championship-winning squad waiting in the wings and the growing condemnations of the current side, it seems only a matter of time before Brunel's hand is forced to throw in some fresh faces alongside the likes of Ntamack and Demba Bamba.
Watch: Jonny May and Mako Vunipola speak to RugbyPass after England's win in Dublin
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Latest Comments
It is if he thinks he’s got hold of the ball and there is at least one other player between him and the ball carrier, which is why he has to reach around and over their heads. Not a deliberate action for me.
Go to commentsI understand, but England 30 years ago were a set piece focused kick heavy team not big on using backs.
Same as now.
South African sides from any period will have a big bunch of forwards smashing it up and a first five booting everything in their own half.
NZ until recently rarely if ever scrummed for penalties; the scrum is to attack from, broken play, not structured is what we’re after.
Same as now.
These are ways of playing very ingrained into the culture.
If you were in an English club team and were off to Fiji for a game against a club team you’d never heard of and had no footage of, how would you prepare?
For a forward dominated grind or would you assume they will throw the ball about because they are Fijian?
A Fiji way. An English way.
An Australian way depends on who you’ve scraped together that hasn’t been picked off by AFL or NRL, and that changes from generation to generation a lot of the time.
Actually, maybe that is their style. In fact, yes they have a style.
Nevermind. Fuggit I’ve typed it all out now.
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