Laporte: we’re a team of liars, cheats and donkeys

FRENCH coach Bernard Laporte last night launched an extraordinary attack on several of his defeated Lansdowne Road players, labelling them liars and saying they lacked respect for the blue shirt of the national team.

Laporte admitted the current side was not good enough to win the World Cup in Australia later this year and said he yearned for the return of South Africa-born prop Pieter de Villiers and Kiwi centre Tony Marsh.

He claimed they along with injured captain Fabien Galthie would assume the responsibility other players were avoiding after two defeats in the opening three matches of the Six Nations.

“I told the players it is respect for one another that stops them making mistakes,” he blasted.

“However, when you watch Saturday’s match, it is clear there is no respect. I pull the shirt, I put in an elbow, I do this, I do that and baff there’s a penalty. I don’t believe we have forgotten a rule we knew all about last year.

“It is all about one’s attitude, one’s respect for those around you. It is what the guy around you does: he trains like a donkey, lazes around, and then gives away a penalty. It’s just not possible.

“We really miss Pieter and Tony. They also make mistakes but they pull us towards a higher level.

“I do not want us to lie to ourselves, there. I will not accept that. I do not like liars because they are cheating on their team-mates,” added the former Stade Francais handler.

Laporte, whose record since he took over in November 1999 reads as 19 victories, 14 defeats and one draw, singled out two of his scrum as examples of being repeat offenders.

“We have lost our two matches because of indiscipline. It is imperative we put to ourselves the right questions.

“Why does Serge Betsen make 15 mistakes a match now? Explain that to me. Why does he make that amount of errors?

“Why does Jean-Jacques Crenca give away five penalties per match? It is important they explain this to me,” said a perplexed Laporte.

Laporte added he no longer believed the current squad of 22 could raise their game and become the first northern hemisphere winners of the World Cup.

“I will tell you straight away we will not be world champions with this team, the team that played against Ireland,” he said firmly.

“It is as a unit that we will only be able to succeed because realistically who among the squad can say they are the best in their position in the world aside from Fabien Pelous who is for me the best lock with Martin Johnson? Nobody. Therefore, we have to have respect for everything. It is only with that quality that we can succeed.

“We do not possess a Stephen Larkham nor a Jonny Wilkinson. Unfortunately several in our side have confused themselves with others, who they clearly are not.

“They read and believe their press too much, of that I am convinced.

“I said that this team had soul. Today it doesn’t possess one. For me I call a cat a cat when it is necessary,” he said.

Laporte is certain to start putting his words into action tomorrow when he names the 22 for the next Six Nations match, the trip to Rome to play much-improved Italy on Sunday week.

* Tony Marsh will be out of action for four weeks after undergoing surgery, dashing his hopes of playing in his country’s last two Six Nations matches, his club side Montferrand said yesterday.

The 30-year-old New Zealand-born centre had only returned to action last week after an operation on a groin injury last November.

However, the Montferrand spokesman declined to reveal the nature of the latest surgery, stating that “it’s about a personal problem”.