THOMAS DARRACQ

In three words

Technical. Demanding. Leader.

Playing CV

A scrum-half or fly-half who moved around the South-West. Originally from Hagetmau in the Landes region, he later played for the youth teams at Bègles and Mont-de-Marsan and in Fédérale One for Peyrehorade-Saint Sever.

Coaching background

He started out at Pays Médoc, taking the team from the French regional divisions into the third tier, before working as a strength and conditioning coach with the French federation for seven years. After three years at Bayonne, where he headed up the academy, he returned to the FFR, taking over as the selector/coach of the women’s side after the 2022 Six Nations.

What he’s known for

With his background in S&C, it’s no surprise to hear that has been a major focus in the build-up to the World Cup. Darracq’s vision of rugby is a sport where the team takes priority over the individual. The aim is to apply pressure with the boot and hands, trying to read space while also winning collisions.

Who’s on his team

Darracq works alongside Annick Hayraud, who has moved to a management role having been in charge previously. The most eye-catching addition after the Six Nations was former skipper Gaëlle Mignot, who oversees the scrum and contact area. David Ortiz, who spent time at Bordeaux and Agen, has also joined and is in charge of the defence and lineout.

Biggest achievement

During his earlier four-year spell with France (2010-14), they grew into a real force in the northern hemisphere, culminating in a Grand Slam in 2014 before coming third at a home World Cup.