System ‘tougher for French, English’
The IRFU’s player welfare management programme, which limits its contracted players’ game minutes with their provinces for the benefit of the national team, has been emulated by Scotland and to an extent by Wales, which is signing players on dual contracts in conjunction with its regions.
It makes their national coaches Joe Schmidt, Vern Cotter and Warren Gatland the envy of the French and English where the clubs own player registrations and dictate the terms of their release to the unions.
“To be honest it is very tough to be an English coach or a French coach because of the structure of the English League, which is 12 teams and us, which has 14 teams,” Saint-Andre said yesterday at the launch of the RBS 6 Nations in London. “Plus Heineken Cup .... no, sorry they have changed their name and the Inter Toto also,” he joked.
“It’s hard because when you put a squad together you want to be competitive and you realise you have 10-12 guys injured. Three years ago, I will pick this squad, this will be my back three, but in the last match of the Top 14 (before the international) you have six guys out and after you have to change everything. After, I just pick a squad and say ‘wait and see and I will make my mind up when I have the guys with me. When one is injured another guy will have the opportunity’.”
Saint-Andre, who took charge of the France side after Marc Lievremont led Les Bleus to the 2011 World Cup final, compared Ireland captain Paul O’Connell’s workload with that of his own second row, Yoann Maestri of Toulouse.
“It is not a clear advantage just that their structure and organisation is controlled by their Federation,” the French boss said. “With that system they play a little bit in Europe, just 25 games in a season. There was a comparison between the captain of Ireland and Yoann Maestri. One was playing 22, 23 games a year, the other 36, 37 games a year. It’s completely different.
“Imagine me going to speak to Guy Noves (Toulouse coach) or Bernard Laporte (Toulon’s director of rugby) and saying ‘I want these guys off for two weeks before the Six Nations; they would laugh at me. ‘We pay him and he needs to play for the club’. Because the organisation and structure is completely different, you need to cope with this, to do your best with this situation.
“When the rugby was professional the assumption was that the Six Nations would be so boring because England and France would win (all the time) but Wales won a lot of Six Nations, Ireland last year and Scotland have improved. It’s tough, two games at home, three games away (this season).”
Saint-Andre, however, warned World Cup pool rivals Italy and Ireland that the French would be better prepared when the tournament starts in England in September.
“We will have a go, the spirit is good and the guys have a lot of confidence. In our first game against Italy in the World Cup I know we will be ready because we will have had two and a half months preparation together. It will be a different story.”
France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has predicted Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton will start against his side when the two countries clash in Dublin on February 14.
The Racing Metro player has been stood down by French doctors for 12 weeks following a concussion but will be clear to resume playing on the day of the French visit to the Aviva Stadium.
Casting aside doubts that Sexton, pictured, will be ready to hit the ground running in such an important match, Saint-Andre said: “I hear he will be available for this game. He didn’t play for so many weeks for Racing but I’m sure he will be fully fit to play against us.
“I think if the coaching staff pick him it is because he’s ready. Medically he will be given the all clear. I hear he is training very, very hard.”
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