Thion plans to be boss of bosses

THERE’S a school of thought which suggests the word honcho derives from the Basque term jauntxo, which means boss man.

Jerome Thion of Basque outfit Biarritz, certainly has the appearance of a head honcho: the France second row is part of the elite group of lineout operators in world rugby. So is the man he faces on Saturday.

“Paul O Connell? He’s one of the best second rows in the world, along with maybe Chris Jack of New Zealand.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for him and it’s very hard to play against him he’s got ...beacoup de volume de jeu ... a lot of energy.

“He’s very good in the lineout, one of the best in the world.

“I played against him last year for Biarritz and this year with France in the Six Nations. I thought last year’s game against Munster was the biggest game we ever had with Biarritz and, though we won, it was very hard for us.

“It was a high-speed game and at the end we were very tired.”

Thion, 28, has a good deal in common with O’Connell.

Both were accomplished swimmers, and though the Munster lock flirted with golf before giving himself over to rugby, his French counterpart was an accomplished basketball player, attracting offers to play professionally in France.

However, a teacher sent the young Thion out to rugby training one Wednesday afternoon and the rest is history.

Part of that history was winning the French championship with Biarritz last season. French sides are often accused of treating the Bouclier des Brennus, the huge shield awarded to the domestic champions, with more reverence than the Heineken Cup.

Thion says that doesn’t apply in Biarritz.

“We won the French championship last year and it was one of the most important objectives for us this year. It’s very important, the Brennus, for us, but we want to win the Heineken Cup as well.”

Thion’s fondness for European competition shouldn’t surprise anyone who was in Lansdowne Road a few years ago.

“I wasn’t surprised Munster beat Leinster in the semi-final. Four years ago I was playing with Perpignan – USAP – when we beat Leinster in Dublin.

That was a very good win for us.

“I knew Munster could beat Leinster in their semi-final. The difference between Munster and Leinster in that game was a big one – having watched the game I thought the Munster forwards were very good, they won all the ball in scrums, lineouts and rucks. They were the best team. They’re similar to us, particularly in the forwards. It’s going to be a tough game.”

Though a genial giant, Thion also has a steely self-confidence. Earlier in his career, when he played at Clermont, Australian coach Steve Nance told Thion and several other players that they weren’t good enough.

Thion left the club and the next time the pair met Thion was playing for France at the 2003 World Cup. It’s also worth remembering that Thion overcame a fractured larynx last year, an injury sustained at the hands of Springbok Jon Smit.

That’s the kind of toughness Basque fans admire.

He outlines the differences between playing for a Catalan team – Perpignan – and Biarritz.

“In Biarritz we play differently to Perpignan but it’s much the same culture for the forwards. It’s the same intensity we put into games.

I’ve been back to Perpignan for games with Biarritz and I got a good reception.”

When you say good, do you really mean something else? Thion laughs: “No, no, it was good, they liked me!”

There’s a lot of debate about the playing style Biarritz will adopt in the final on Saturday. With firepower behind the scrum in the likes of Damien Traille and Sereli Bobo, some observers have been surprised by the French side’s conservative approach.

Brian O’Driscoll comes up in conversation, which is hardly surprising.

Thion is diplomatic when asked about the prospect of the Irishman in the white and red of Biarritz.

“Well, I don’t know about that — all of the Irish players are very good. But if they came then we’d have to change the team.”

So if Paul O’Connell was to come to Biarritz . . .

“Ah, that’s my position.”