A return to the field.
“Real rugby”, with mud, an amateur team, and smiles behind the handrail.
French rugby, shaken by business at its peak, probably needed this postcard to make its comeback in this very important year 2023, with a World Cup at home as the highlight, but also a head that wobbles .
The president of the FFR Bernard Laporte has, in fact, been forced to step back, and his vice-president Patrick Buisson must become deputy president if the clubs validate him by a vote.
At the heart of these uncertainties, the coach of the XV of France Fabien Galthié found the ground in Pays-de-Belvès (Dordogne), to animate, this Tuesday evening, the training of the first team in Federal 2. He took the opportunity, then, to give an update to the press on these cases and the Six Nations Tournament which begins in a month in Italy.
Why go back to school in 2023, here in the Dordogne?
FABIEN GALTHIE.
We have tried to give meaning to what we have been doing for 4 years.
And in this mission, we want to bring together, federate and share.
We strive there with great pleasure, going to rugby schools, colleges, sports studies or Federal 2 teams like here.
Supporting educators is also at the heart of our mission.
You are going to defend your Grand Slam in this Six Nations Tournament.
Does that change anything?
That's what we wanted.
We have always had this objective: to win matches and titles quickly, to become a major nation again, in the top 3 in the world.
We got there, that's what we want to repeat.
The president of the FFR Bernard Laporte withdrew after his conviction.
A vote will take place to designate a delegate president.
Do these uncertainties and these cases weigh on the XV of France?
Indeed, we closely follow what is happening, even if we do what we do best, on the ground.
What I can tell you is that in December, during the difficult period, at the height of the storm, Bernard Laporte asked me to continue no matter what, to continue to chart our course towards the Coupe du world 2023. And to prepare the mandate after until 2027. We are totally committed to this mission.
We need to keep this vision, built over three years, this continuity that has allowed us to progress collectively.
We can still improve, but it's true that we need continuity, visibility, and for the moment this is the case.
Can these cases harm the image of rugby?
For 3 years, the XV of France has worked for the image of rugby, for the image throughout the world of French rugby.
When you see a full and white-hot Stade de France, audiences of 10 million viewers, a 10% growth in the number of licensees, these are unmistakable signs.
I think the image of French rugby and the XV of France is positive, and even better.
French rugby shines around the world.