The BIG ASK
Q England led 3-0. Then another penalty attempt from Simon Hodgkinson passed narrowly wide of the posts...over to you, Philippe.
A Pierre was a yard Berbizier behind caught Berbizier the ball. and I Serge Blanco was two yards to my right. Blanco said to him, ‘Counter-attack, counter-attack, give me the ball, give me the ball’. I was a young player and Blanco had a lot of caps so I thought, ‘If he wants to counter-attack then let’s counter-attack.’
Q Was it purely off the cuff?
A England were so strong with their forwards – Paul Ackford, Wade Dooley, Brian Moore – so the game plan was that we needed to play a messy game and use every opportunity we had with the backs. Blanco, Sella, Lafond and Camberabero combined down the right; I was a winger but I followed the action in midfield. I put my finger in the air to show where I was, Camberabero saw me and delivered a perfect cross-kick. I’d only got a handful of caps then and I remember thinking, ‘I must catch this ball or my career will be finished’. I caught it and we scored what was a great try. People don’t remember now that I was a rugby player but when the try is shown ahead of England v France every year they see that I did play!
Q Jeremy Guscott says his desperate dive from behind to try to stop you has left him with a scar on his forehead from your studs.
A I felt him there. I knew how quick he was. It was only five years ago that he showed me the scar and told me the story.
Q You know English rugby and French rugby well, having coached Gloucester and Sale. How do you think France will be viewing a trip to Twickenham today?
A If there is a year that France can do it at Twickenham it is this year. For England, a sold-out Twickenham is their 16th man but with no crowd and England not playing well at the moment, low in confidence and so indisciplined – it is very rare that England give away so many penalties – the French team, if they have recovered well from Covid, have a great opportunity to do something special.
Q Is this game still Le Crunch across the Channel?
A France game but v England I would is say always this new a huge generation of French players are not stressed. They are confident and trust each other. They won the under-20s World Cup and have won with their clubs so they have the winning habit. They have a great attitude but also great gifts. It’s one of the best French teams we’ve had on paper for a long, long time.