‘Horrible’ Galthie the test big for Edwards

As unique as Shaun Edwards’s path across the Channel may be, an anglophone coach opting to ply his trade in France is quite a common occurrence.

All those who have been there, done it, and bought the chemise will have had to clamber over the language barrier, but what other cultural shocks await Wigan’s swashbuckling son?

According to former Clermont Auvergne lock Jamie Cudmore, who spent two seasons coaching in France, the main challenge could be his relationship with head coach Fabien Galthie. “Galthie is a horrible manmanager. He’s extremely good with his detail and his technical knowledge,” Cudmore said. “Many I’ve spoken to in France believe his rugby knowledge and technical acumen will be very well suited to the national team environment. But, the week-to-week environment, he can’t do it.”

Is Edwards’s new boss generally lauded or criticised in French rugby? “Definitely the latter,” said Cudmore.

Brive director of rugby Jeremy Davidson was not so damning, but the former Ireland lock echoed Cudmore’s assessment. “Galthie knows the game inside out but it was generally the manmanagement that let him down at Montpellier and Toulon.”

added that any language issues might even improve Edwards’s coaching. “His defensive message will not be complicated. Sometimes, the best part of coaching is keeping your message simple so that the players do not have too much to think about.”

Edwards is famed for his direct, uncompromising approach to defence. This, according to former England scrum-half Richard Hill, now coaching at Rouen Normandie in the Pro D2, could be a major benefit in France.

“In general, the French player likes to be told what to do,” he said. “They are not used to working things out for themselves. To try and get them to own up to something, too, is virtually impossible. In France, they look to blame someone else – it’s never their fault.”

A further challenge for Edwards will be the tension between the French league (LNR) and French federation (FFR), according to former Munster No 8 James Coughlan, now coaching Provence in the Pro D2.

Edwards is used to working with centrally contracted players, but that system is not in place across the Channel. “The clubs are run by the LNR and the French team is run by the FFR, two very big bodies with conflicting agendas,” Coughlan said. “He’s not going to have control of the players like he did with the Welsh provinces.”

Richard Capstick, the Exeter Chiefs back row, scored with the final play of the game to give England Under-20s a dramatic victory over their French counterparts in Grenoble.

England looked to have blown a 2412 second-half lead after the French fought back through Jordan Joseph and Ethan Dumortier to level the scores with only six minutes left of the Six Nations opener.

Alan Dickens’s side, however, dug deep and retained possession through several passages of play before Capstick bundled over to earn a bonuspoint victory for the new coach, who was appointed in November.

England had led 10-9 at the interval break thanks to a try from Rusiate Tuima, another Exeter back row, and five points from Josh Hodge, the Newcastle Falcon charged with kicking duties.

The French edged ahead after the break once England lost Gabriel Hamer-Webb to a yellow card only for Hodge’s solo try to reclaim the lead.

Tom Roebuck added another try for England before the late French surge. With nine debutants at this level, England did well to recover from it.

Ask Simon Middleton if complacency could be his side’s worst enemy in this year’s Six Nations and his response is laced with defiance. “No,” said the England women’s head coach. “Complacency is something that never enters our camp or our mindset. As coaches, we wouldn’t allow it to happen anyway. Our biggest challenge is being better than our last performance.”

When England lock horns with 2018 champions France today, they will be armed with more than a full year of professionalism. Many have already billed the encounter at the Stade du Hameau in Pau as a championship de- cider, but Middleton is bullish about his side’s advantage.

“It’s going to be a massive game,” he said. “Aside from going to New Zealand, France is the toughest place to go and play. It’s going to be a full stadium in Pau against an energised French side, who will be a real handful.”

Seven of England’s Six Nations squad are not centrally contracted with the Rugby Football Union and juggle their rugby careers with other livelihoods.

Gloucester-Hartpury’s Millie Wood is a painter and decorator, while winger Abby Dow is studying to become a meDavidson encounters on French soil that the teenager will not make her senior bow across the Channel.

“It’s certainly a very patriotic crowd in France, if not a bit hostile,” said Sarah Hunter, England’s captain. “But we’ve started to develop a bit of a Red Rose travelling fan base.”

Middleton’s determination to improve his side is one shared by every nation, with the 2021 World Cup on the horizon. Several French players were bumped up to semi-professional contracts last year, but like Ireland, France