I’m coming home says Teague after axe
“Rory Teague’s idea of dialogue is fairly close to that of Kim Jong-un”
- disgruntled Bordeaux player
It did not sound too promising for Englishman Rory Teague’s future in French rugby when he revealed last month he and his family had been under attack by rogue supporters. He said his car had been vandalised and his pregnant wife insulted by fans unhappy with his time in charge of Bordeaux-Begles.
Whover was behind those outrages will presumably be happy now he has been sacked by a man who, only months earlier, had described him as exceptionally gifted.
Teague, the former Saracens youth supremo who became England skills coach under Eddie Jones, was shown the door in the wake of a 40-0 defeat at Toulouse.
He told The Rugby Paper exclusively: “I am now looking to pursue my career in England. Of course it is a setback. There have been cultural differences, but I still believe I have put some good changes in place.
“I have learned lots in Bordeaux which will help me move forward and become a better coach.”
Laurent Marti, the president who chose him to succeed France-bound Jacques Brunel last January, had said earlier: “I don’t know whether the career of Rory Teague will be a brilliant success or a failure.”
Even though his team were in eighth place with four defeats from nine games, he has plumped for the second option. As far as Bordeaux-Begles are concerned, at any rate.
Marti made the announcement saying: “Bordeaux-Begles and Rory Teague have agreed jointly to put an end to their collaboration.”
But his decision took Teague by surprise as well as the rest of the Top 14.
Teague, who had asked for reasonable time to impose his ideas on the club he joined only last year as backs coach, is entitled to consider the move somewhat premature.
Not soon enough, though, for the unnamed player quoted by a local rugby writer as saying: “Rory Teague’s idea of dialogue is fairly close to that of Kim Jong-un.”
Convinced of the strength of his own analysis, Teague, at 33, was ruthless in his immediate pruning of players he did not consider able to deliver trophies.
He stands by his actions even though he was aware they made him unpopular with sections of the largest home crowds in the country.
After disclosing the personal attacks on him and his family, he said: “Nothing shocks me any more. My first six months in the job have been instructive.
“I know what the context around me is. I am the young English guy who has fired loads of players. It will take time for that to change.
“Over the last three or four seasons, Bordeaux-Begles have looked more like a team that has just been promoted to the Top 14.
“The objective as announced by the president is to win titles. There are things to organise for that to happen.
“At Saracens, I was able to see how you move from the management of a squad to its performance.”
Now he contemplates the ruins of those ambitions when his contract had been extended to the end of 2021 not so long ago.
Teague, who once successfully sued a club during his days as a modest flyhalf in French rugby, will have no legal concerns this time. He says he has agreed his pay-off terms.
“That will give me time to reflect on the next stage of my career,” he said. “I am looking forward to getting my boots back on the field.”
Teague knows he is unlikely to elicit much sympathy from players whose own contracts were given short shrift as he ushered them towards the exit.
Men like Samoan hooker Ole Avei, an eight-year stalwart now plying his trade with Racing, Fijian winger Metuisela Talebula, now with Bayonne. As well as No.8 Loann Goujon now playing most games for higherranked Lyon. Or even veteran Kiwi flanker Hugh Chalmers now with Vannes, the Division Two team from Britanny.
You can add to that list hooker Clement Meynadier and centre Julien Rey, who sat on the last year of their contracts but hardly play.
Former England flanker Joe Worsley, Bordeaux’s longest-serving coach, will be in charge of the team for their game next Saturday at home to Toulon.
Marti, who is looking elsewhere for a permanent boss, will have sacked France boss Guy Noves and reigning Castres champion Christophe Urios available for next season.
One of the cornerstones of Teague’s rugby creed was to change the negative mindset of many French teams when on their travels. But he won only one of 13 such games while in sole charge of Bordeaux last season and has lost all four on the road this time around.
He qualified the defeat at Toulouse which precipitated his sacking as shameful, adding: “I am truly sorry for the supporters and the club. Toulouse were twice as good as us.
“It is for me to find the solution to doing better away from home. We are going to meet up with the team leaders to ask the right questions.”
Given Teague received his marching orders before noon on Monday morning, one must wonder whether those leaders came up with a few answers of their own.