French Rugby names new national coach

LONDON – In a very surprising move, the French Federation of Rugby have named Toulouse Coach Guy Noves to replace Philippe Saint-Andre as the French national rugby coach when Saint-Andre walks away from the job on November 1 – a day after the Rugby World Cup finishes.

The job of French rugby coach has under scrutiny since France’s disappointing 6 Nations campaign and many believed that Philippe Saint-Andre’s time was up. However the French Federation of Rugby, a sporting body that rarely follows conventional methods have named the former French rugby player to take over from the under fire Saint-Andre.

It’s the timing more-so than the actual appointment that is surprising with no International first tier team in recent memory having named a successor to take over the coaching role after the Rugby World Cup but well before the actual event starts.

Guy Noves comes with good credentials having turned down the FFR for the French coaching role when it became vacant in 2011. Guiding Stade Toulousain to 10 national titles and four European cups, it will be interesting to observe the dynamic in the French rugby camp now with Saint-Andre already half way out the door well before the big event kicks off in three and a half months time.