Big Ewis
Hall of Fame
A very interesting article came out on Rugbyrama. I've largely used g.translate and made the corrections and picked the most relevant parts.
Christophe Dominici about France and Saint-André:
"We have not managed to get a game plan up in two and a half years. Why would this be the case in a year? It is impossible. Even if the November tour is successful, the revealer will the RBS 6 Nations.
Today, we do not select a player to fit a game system, but because he's on current good form.
Today, St. André and his staff need a commando team. It's a bit like Stade Français in 2000. We had no coach and formed a commando team to get a title. There were only competitors who were not necessarily the best technically but hung on always and could not stand to lose.
I often say that a manager gives the mindset to his team. The coach chooses the players he wants. Bernard Laporte was a great competitor. Wherever he went, he succeeded. His method: he wanted a very strong mid-field, a very good defensive organization and did not give easy points in our half (of the field). We knew his system. Marc Lievremont was a player competitor, noble, with real values, loyal in friendship, picky at his job. His team looked like him. If you look at the profile of Saint-Andre: opportunistic in the game and try scorer. The XV de France looks just like him.
This team will not have as complete a system as that of the All Blacks, Australian or Welsh, which is well defined since the school rugby system - not in a year.
Can you tell me what the game system of St. André has been for two and a half years? It's fine to say you want to play on the outside, but if we do not have guys capable of passing, what do we do? When selecting guys like Traille, Jauzion or Liebenberg, who are able to make pinpoint 30 meter passes, it was a different game system than with Bastareaud at midfield.
It's always "because" ("because" of too many foreigners, "because" our youngsters don't play...). If you are an entrepreneur and you make a billion euros of debt, there won't be a "because". You will be transferred in the second. One principle of human beings is to adapt. The staff of the Bleus must adapt to each opponent. It is their responsibility. It should stop complaining because their place is a privilege.
I'm a fan of speeches and men who are able to convince me that the concrete door in front of me, I can get through. Laporte was able to do that."
Christophe Dominici about France and Saint-André:
"We have not managed to get a game plan up in two and a half years. Why would this be the case in a year? It is impossible. Even if the November tour is successful, the revealer will the RBS 6 Nations.
Today, we do not select a player to fit a game system, but because he's on current good form.
Today, St. André and his staff need a commando team. It's a bit like Stade Français in 2000. We had no coach and formed a commando team to get a title. There were only competitors who were not necessarily the best technically but hung on always and could not stand to lose.
I often say that a manager gives the mindset to his team. The coach chooses the players he wants. Bernard Laporte was a great competitor. Wherever he went, he succeeded. His method: he wanted a very strong mid-field, a very good defensive organization and did not give easy points in our half (of the field). We knew his system. Marc Lievremont was a player competitor, noble, with real values, loyal in friendship, picky at his job. His team looked like him. If you look at the profile of Saint-Andre: opportunistic in the game and try scorer. The XV de France looks just like him.
This team will not have as complete a system as that of the All Blacks, Australian or Welsh, which is well defined since the school rugby system - not in a year.
Can you tell me what the game system of St. André has been for two and a half years? It's fine to say you want to play on the outside, but if we do not have guys capable of passing, what do we do? When selecting guys like Traille, Jauzion or Liebenberg, who are able to make pinpoint 30 meter passes, it was a different game system than with Bastareaud at midfield.
It's always "because" ("because" of too many foreigners, "because" our youngsters don't play...). If you are an entrepreneur and you make a billion euros of debt, there won't be a "because". You will be transferred in the second. One principle of human beings is to adapt. The staff of the Bleus must adapt to each opponent. It is their responsibility. It should stop complaining because their place is a privilege.
I'm a fan of speeches and men who are able to convince me that the concrete door in front of me, I can get through. Laporte was able to do that."
