Scandal has torn through the squad this week. In fact it’s been brewing for a while apparently, I’ve just been wonderfully oblivious, which is something I’m getting quite good at. The first I heard of it all was at the Lyon match 2 weekends ago when I wasn’t playing. I was chatting to fellow injured person who said something along the lines of, “It’s good he (our forwards coach) isn’t leaving isn’t it!” to which I obviously replied that I had no idea he was ever going anywhere... Apparently there had been some disagreement somewhere in the hierarchy, as my chum shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes. He expressed what seemed to be a deep-seated passion for this particular coach which I didn’t quite share, though I wholeheartedly agreed with everything he said. Great coach, wonderful man... That’s where this chat ended and I thought nothing more about it until this week.
Turned up to training on Wednesday night and was told there was a meeting beforehand. I asked someone what it what about and they told me, as if I should have known, it was about the departing of our forwards coach. The backs coach who I am very fond of gave us a rousing speech about sticking together after explaining what the situation was. No one seemed to be buying it though, disgruntled faces were everywhere. No one enthusiastically nodded when he tried to get a response out of the guys, they just sat there with their arms folded and stared, clearly unhappy with the way things had been allowed to happen. I didn’t really understand as I didn’t share the connection with this coach that the others did, perhaps he was a little frustrated about having a stand-off who couldn’t speak fluent French, can’t blame him really...
I’ve never been in a meeting like it. I thought that any minute someone, probably the tall 2nd row who seemed to be the spokesman of the group, would walk out in disgust or protest or both. Either way, the meeting fizzled out and the backs coach looked physically drained with the effort of it all.
It was only later that evening as I was on the train home with our captain that I got the whole story. Allegations of favouritism in selection, picking the wrong players and general mismanagement had been made by the President of Racing Club de France (French rugby legend, over 30 caps) towards our forwards coach and this resulted in an almighty bust-up which resulted in the resignation of the coach. Seemingly in French rugby, the President always wins. (For interest, Racing Club de France, out of which Racing-Metro 92 was born, helps to operate the junior sections of Racing Metro 92. Perhaps they were keen to keep the Racing Club de France name going even if it is just the juniors.)
So it’s all a bit of a mess now. Even last night in our final huddle, strong words were said about how we will play for him even though he isn’t with us. French rugby politics, crazy crazy stuff which I had heard and read a bit about before coming here. Never thought it would strike into the very heart of the Crabos though...
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