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Mad Bernie lives up to reputation as FFR to hold bizarre referendum
By Online Editors
French rugby in 2019 might have provided little by way of any decent on-pitch entertainment, such was their poor level of performance in a Six Nations where they signed off with a shaky win over Italy to secure a fourth place finish.
However, the entertainment generated off the field has been boundless all year, the latest development being the decision of French rugby president Bernard Laporte to hold a referendum on whether the next coach of the national team should be a foreigner.
Having only appointed Jacques Brunel following the December 2017 sacking of Guy Noves, the French believed they would not have to seek out a new national team head coach until June 2020 at the earliest.
However, Brunel’s run of terrible results have left Laporte not only deciding a replacement is needed after the conclusion of the 2019 World Cup in Japan, he has felt obliged to canvass opinion on whether or not it is acceptable to the French rugby grassroots to appoint a foreigner to the job.
No overseas coach has previously held the position of France national team coach. But rather than use his own power to appoint whoever he likes to the role, Laporte has incredibly launched a referendum in order to get the green light to potentially appoint a non-French coach such as Warren Gatland.
Overseas candidates of the calibre of the New Zealander have been spoken about as possible contenders for the position, with Gatland particularly in demand after Wales’ latest Grand Slam success in the Six Nations.
Following a steering committee meeting held in France in Friday, it was decided in a letter that would be sent to all the amateur clubs throughout the country that a referendum is needed on the possibility of recruiting a foreign coach to prepare for the 2023 World Cup which will be hosted by France.
This consultation will open April 9 and will finish two days later on April 11. Each club throughout France will have one vote each, regardless of the size of its staff. The results of this consultation will then be certified by a bailiff and made public on April 12 on the FFR website.
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Latest Comments
To be fair it was nowhere bear the Leinster first team (for which, btw, Leinster copped nothing like the outrage that Jake White did for sending a rotated team to the UK). But it’s fun to watch the Stormers doing their thing. They are attracting big, diverse crowds of young fans, and deservedly so. Great to see.
Go to commentsIt might be legal but he’s sailing pretty close to the wind. Not a lot needs to go wrong for Finau to end up in the bin. Was it late? Not quite, but borderline. High? A couple of CM within the laws, no room for error with that one. Did he wrap the arms? There was a token effort to wrap one arm, the intent was clearly to hit with the shoulder. So yeah, it’s legal, just. But as we all know, a very slight change in the dynamics could easily have him seeing red. Hopefully not when it really matters.
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