Lagisquet to leave Biarritz

Patrice Lagisquet has confirmed he will not be in charge of Biarritz next season – and has even raised the possibility he could leave before the end of the current campaign.

Lagisquet hinted on Saturday, after his side’s limp 16-3 defeat to Perpignan in the Top 14, that his 10 years at the Basque giants were starting to take their toll and that the “end of the cycle” was arriving.

He has now revealed this will be his last season in charge of Biarritz, the club he led to title successes in 2002, 2005 and 2006.

When asked to confirm that he will not be at the helm next term, the former France winger said: “Yes, that’s for sure. I will no longer be in direct control of the team.

“But I will definitely still be at the club, under a different role.”

He added his immediate future will be discussed at a board meeting this week, and that he could even depart after Friday’s league match at home to leaders Clermont-Auvergne.

“We are going to see how things go this week,” he said.

“There is no need to panic. We will see after Clermont.”

Lagisquet claims he is simply “worn out” and unable to bring anything new to a BO team that is languishing in fifth place in the table and in real danger of not qualifying for the Top 14 semi-finals.

They have the third worst attack in the league and have been criticised by many for their one-dimensional, forward-orientated approach.

“I have been thinking about it (quitting as coach) for a while,” he added in L’Equipe. It has been weighing on my mind. I needed to say it and it is a relief.

“The first time I thought seriously about it was in spring 2005. But it wasn’t for the same reasons as today.

“At that time, I wasn’t happy with the spirit in the squad and I wasn’t taking any pleasure.

“It is different now. I am just worn out. Physically, psychologically. I no longer have the same ability to work and to recover.

“And that is why announcing my departure comes as a relief.”

He added: “You have to tell things as they are. I am no longer doing well. I am failing. There you have it.

“The results are there for all to see. At any moment, in sport at the highest level, results are the evidence.”