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France 7 féminin et « l’anomalie statistique » de ne pas avoir encore gagné

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 3: Joanna Grisez of France runs with the ball tackled by Madison Ashby of Australia in a semifinal match during the HSBC SVNS rugby tournament on December 3, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Martin Dokoupil/Getty Images)

Une médaille de bronze, et encore une. Ne nous méprenons pas, ce résultat obtenu à Dubaï le 3 décembre dernier pour lancer la saison 2024 est un très bon résultat pour l’équipe de France féminine de rugby à 7. D’autant que les filles sont allées la chercher avec une détermination qui a fait plaisir à voir au Sevens Stadium.

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« Je suis très content de la façon dont on s’est retroussé les manches », salue le coach David Courteix. « C’est toujours difficile de se remettre d’une demi-finale perdue (14-21 contre l’Australie, ndlr). Les Australiennes ont mérité leur victoire. On a débuté avec cet état d’esprit de s’entraider, de prendre du plaisir à jouer, de se reconnaître dans notre jeu. »

Oui mais voilà, même si la France a su rebondir par une victoire 26-5 sur le Canada pour repartir avec la médaille de bronze, elle a une fois encore dû se contenter de la dernière marche du podium.

« On fait tout pour gagner et on accepte le fait que les autres soient meilleures », relativise David Courteix. « On progresse. L’enjeu est maintenant de passer encore ce petit cap pour titiller la hiérarchie qui est clairement dominée par l’Australie et la Nouvelle-Zélande.

« Ce n’est pas prétentieux de dire qu’on vise la première place. Il ne faut pas que l’on reste humble. On veut gagner et on sent pour peut et qu’on va gagner. L’intuition est réelle, on ne s’en cache pas. »

Dépasser les exploits sans lendemain

Saison après saison, la France n’a jamais été aussi haut et n’a plus qu’une envie : briser ce plafond de verre qui lui résiste outrageusement. Car de toutes les équipes qui ont fini dans le dernier carré, les Françaises sont les seules à n’avoir encore jamais remporté un seul tournoi du circuit mondial.

« Il y a un petit verrou mental qui est en train de sauter », croit pourtant savoir Courteix qui voit dans la situation de la France une « anomalie statistique qu’on n’ait pas encore gagné. Tout le monde l’a déjà fait ! »

Les Françaises manqueraient-elles de cet instinct de tueuses que d’autres équipes ne cachent pas ? « Nous avons cette capacité à nous remettre en cause, à rester modestes et à notre place », pose le coach. « Il faut maintenant placer le curseur du doute au bon endroit. C’est vrai, c’est une vraie difficulté qu’on a en France. Les espoirs sans lendemain, on est en train de dépasser ça.

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« Je ne parlerais pas d’instinct de tueuses, mais plutôt de prise de conscience. On a les moyens de gagner. On s’entraine dur parce qu’on sait qu’en face on a de sacrées clientes. Le groupe a mûri et il est prêt. »

A Cape Town, la France se retrouve dans une poule C extrêmement difficile avec le Canada, l’Afrique du Sud et les USA, soit deux équipes sur trois qu’elle a déjà rencontrées une semaine plus tôt.

« C’est une poule très costaud dans tous les sens du terme », confirme David Courteix. « Il va y avoir un beau défi en tant qu’équipe avec du rugby athlétique, d’intensité, de combat, de pression. »

Les matchs de la poule C samedi 09 décembre (heure française)

  • France 7 Féminin v Afrique du Sud – 08h44
  • France 7 Féminin v USA – 11h06
  • France 7 Féminin v Canada – 16h96

Les matchs sont à suivre sur RugbyPassTV (gratuit)

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Bull Shark 2 hours ago
David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner

Why is Joe Schmidt the best option for Australia? (LONG READ)


An essay for @OJohn with love from South Africa.


OJohn keeps banging on about kiwis and Saffers and everyone else seeking to undermine and bring down Australian rugby… Blah, Blah, Blah. It’s boring and not worth responding too 99 days out of 100.


He misses the point completely that Australians either are or are not the masters of their own destiny. So to blame anyone else but themselves for what the state of Australian rugby is in - is hypocritical.


But recently, Australia has shown signs of life. Personally, I always believed they would be back at some point. At the beginning of this year I predicted that the wallabies would bounce back this year. I predicted that they would overtake England in the world rankings. I am predicting that they could finish second in the RC, could win the Lions series and could make it to a RWC final at home.


I tend to get ahead of myself when I’m excited... Ask my wife. But forgive me for getting excited about the Wallabies looking good! Is it so bad?


Like OJohn, I believe that Australia’s lands abound with natures gifts, including athletic specimens across any sporting code the Aussies compete in. It’s one of the reasons most of us don’t like Aussies. They win sh1t. Regularly. And look smug when they do...


But back to OJohn. And his banging on about the need for Australia to have an Australian coach. Here are a few highlights of his argument:


Several times I've given a list of half a dozen Australian coaches who would be more Australian than Schmidt and just as successful.

Tell me which Australian coaches would be acceptable to coach the All Blacks ......?

Because South Africans and Kiwis and Welshmen and Scotsman are all s.... scared that if an immensely talented and athletic team like Australia is ever able to harness nationalistic Australian passion with an Australian coach, you'll all be s.c.r.e.w.e.d.


And then finally – the list of 6 🥴:


Ewen McKenzie, Less Kiss, Stephen Larkham, Jim McKay, David Nucifora, Scott Wisenthal, Ben Mowen, Rod Kafer, Mick Byrne, John Manetti, Jason Gilmore, Dan McKellar.

Plus, a special request:


Keep in mind Rod MacQueen never won a Super Rugby title before he was appointed Wallaby coach but he ended up the greatest rugby coach the world has ever seen. Better than Erasmus even. Who is probably the next best.

Right. I don’t care about the tinfoil hat theories. I want to assess OJohn’s list and determine whether any of them fit the mold of a Rod Macqueen.

 

Like Rod Macqueen the following world cup winning coaches never won a Super Rugby Title:


·       David Kirk, 1987 (17 appearances for New Zealand)

·       Kitch Kristie, 1995

·       Rod Macqueen, 1999

·       Clive Woodward, 2003 (21 Appearance for England)

·       Jake White, 2007 (School Teacher)

·       Graham Henry, 2011 (School Teacher)

·       Steve Hansen, 2015 (Policeman)

·       Rassie Erasmus, 2019 (36 Appearances for South Africa)

·       Jacques Nienaber, 2023 (Physiotherapist).


I couldn't find out what Rod or Kitch did other than coach.


The only coach who has won a Super title and a World Cup?

·       Bob Dwyer, 1991 (A Tahs man wouldn’t you know!)


In fact coaches that have won super rugby titles have not won world cups. Robbie Deans. Heyneke Meyer to name just two.


I know I’m being childish, but I needed to bring this list in somehow because it’s quite obvious that whatever these coaches did before they became international level coaches is largely immaterial. Or is it?


Interestingly Ewan McKenzie (A Tah Man!) has won a Super title. And despite being a Tah Man made it into OJohn’s list. That’s two strikes for Ewan Mckenzie based on OJohn’s criteria so far. Not to mention his 50% win rate as head coach of the Wallabies between 2013 and 2014 (and the laundry list of off the field fcuk ups that swirled around the team at the time).


So Ewan is out.


I find it interesting that, as we speak, eight out of the ten top ranked men’s teams are coached by former international players:

1.      South Africa, Rassie Erasmus (36 appearances for South Africa)

2.      Ireland, Andy Farrell (8 appearances for England)

3.      New Zealand, Scott Robertson (23 appearances for New Zealan)

4.      France, Fabien Galthie (64 appearances for France)

5.      Argentina, Felipe Contemponi (87 appearances for Argentina)

6.      Scotland, Gregor Townsend (82 appearances for Scotland)

7.      England, Steve Borthwick (57 appearances for England)

8.      Australia, Joe Schmidt (School Teacher)

9.      Fiji, Michael Byrne (Aussie Rules Player)

10.  Italy, Gonzalo Quesada (38 appearances for Argentina).


It would appear as though we have entered an era where successful international coaches, largely, have played rugby at international level in the professional era. Or are ex school teachers. Much like Jake White and Graham Henry! Or a policeman.

 

Back to OJohn’s List. That leaves us with:


·       Less Kiss, (I like the look of)

·       Stephen Larkham, (I like the look of)

·       Jim McKay, (Very little to write home about)

·       David Nucifora, (Too old)

·       Scott Wisenthal, (I literally can’t find anything on him on the Google).

·       Ben Mowen, (Too young, no coaching experience)

·       Rod Kafer, (No coaching experience)

·       Mick Byrne, (He’s coaching the Fijians, Aussie rules!)

·       John Manetti, (Can’t find him on the google)

·       Jason Gilmore, (Seems to be working through the ranks, coaching Wallabies A)

·       Dan McKellar, (Not much to write home about, but could be an option).


Applying some logic, I would say the following are viable options based on age, experience in coaching AND the fact that they have played rugby for Australia in the professional era:

·       Less Kiss, (I like the look of)

·       Stephen Larkham, (I like the look of)

·       Jason Gilmore, (Seems to be working through the ranks, coaching Wallabies A)


After having done all this research, I think it’s fair to say that none of these three have the same pedigree as Joe Schmidt, the teacher. Who took a sh1tty Ireland team to no.1. Won a few 6 Nations and helped get the All Blacks to a world cup final in 2023.


Joe’s the best option for now. But if Kiss, Larkham and Gilmore are the business for the future for Australia get them in now as assistants to Joe and stop moaning!!


And, for the record, NONE of the above are good enough to coach the All Blacks. The All Blacks have the guy that hasn’t won a single Super title. He’s won 6.


Errors and Ommissions Excepted. Mispelling of names is OJohn's fault.

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