French fans are wild ...there’s nothing like it in England
JOE WORSLEY ON COACHING ACROSS THE CHANNEL
JOE WORSLEY is a fine example for the RFU, who have made it known they want young English coaches to learn their trade abroad to enhance their credentials for international rugby.
The former England and Lions flanker has been enjoying the last four years on France’s Atlantic coast. A decade after he and Raphael Ibanez were at the heart of Wasps’ second Heineken Cup triumph, the pair are again making their considerable presence felt at the pinnacle of the European game with Bordeaux-Begles.
Worsley arrived in 2012 after an invitation from Ibanez. The 39-year- old was renowned for his thunderous tackling as a World Cup-winner who earned 78 caps for England, so it is fitting that defence is the major part of his remit.
Having learned French, he has been acquiring vital coaching experience and immersing himself in a different rugby culture. It tallies with the views expressed by RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie and professional rugby director Nigel Melville last month that time spent overseas would broaden the horizons of future England coaches.
‘I read about that and it is a huge point,’ said Worsley, speaking to
Sportsmail at his family home, close to the river Garonne. ‘Everyone would love to go to New Zealand and learn exactly what theyy are doing. There are things to learn in Australia andd South Africa too.
‘Any time you go into a foreign culture, it is not just about what you can learn, it also makes you understand yourself better. It high-lights the things we do really well in English rugby and why others don’tn’t do them so well.
‘In England we liklike tto llearn from everybody else. But you have to take your own path. You can’t copy someone else because you will always be behind them. That is true of any walk of life. You can’t just be a follower.’
Worsley has certainly not been a follower in taking this unorthodox career path since retiring as a player in 2011. Since moving to France, he has been adapting to various rugby culture shocks.
One is playing with fierce pride and honour at home, but often showing a distinct lack of it on the road. ‘ That is annoying, when yyou are fresh off ththe boat, so to spspeak,’ he said. ‘But it has changed, becabecause of the quality of players and ambition wew have.’ TTo outsiderstid there are certain perceptions of the French club game. One is that it is tainted by regular violence. A recent eyegouging scandal involving Brive flyhalf Matthieu Ugalde revived the spectre of savagery and lawlessness, but Worsley insisted that is the exception rather than the rule. ‘That was despicable,’ he said. ‘In the four years I’ve been here, I’ve not seen anything like that. The problem now isn’t violence, it’s sides trying to slow down the game.’ Another perception is that there is frequent hostility in the stands — and that much is true. ‘If we are somewhere like Pau, the crowd are on the ref’s back, screaming the whole time,’ said Worsley. ‘If their team are rolling through the phases, the noise just goes through the roof. There’s nothing like it in England. It is infectious.
‘There are aggressive places like Brive and La Rochelle, where the crowd really get in your face. I remember going to Perpignan when I was playing for Wasps and they were violent on the pitch and in the stands there. The fans there are known for being… emotional and forthright. It’s wild!’
Worsley has savoured some memorable highlights in Bordeaux, including huge wins over Toulon and Clermont Auvergne, in front of vast crowds at Stade Chaban-Delmas.
Off the field, he and his family have embraced the lifestyle — the food, weather, beaches and nearby wine region. As a decorated former Wasps player, Worsley has taken great delight in seeing the club emerging from times of trouble and financial hardship, since the relocating to Coventry. ‘It’s been fantastic to see,’ he said. ‘I’m over the moon, because I was really worried, as were a number of people.
‘Obviously coaching England would be one thing, but Wasps are the club I love and, one day, I would like to go back,’ he said.
If Worsley does eventually return, his educational exile will stand him in good stead.