'The group has no respect' - Agen sack coaches mid-season after humiliating, landslide loss

Agen Rugby have sacked their coaching ticket after they shipped a massive loss away to Bordeaux Begles.

Manager Christophe Laussucq and forwards coach Rémi Vaquin were sacked, seemingly at the behest of club president Jean-François Fonteneau after they fell to a humiliating 5-71 defeat. It was the seventh loss in a row for the club.

A short statement on the Agen website reads: “SUA LG and its president Jean-François Fonteneau have decided to suspend their collaboration with Christophe Laussucq (Manager) and Rémi Vaquin (Front Coach).”

England lift the Six Nations trophy:

England lift the Six Nations trophy:

Fonteneau tweeted the club’s decision and his disgust at the players.

A compter de ce jour, Christophe Laussucq et Rémi Vaquin ne sont plus les manager et entraîneur de #agen_rugby

— Jeff Fonteneau (@JeffFonteneau) November 1, 2020

“I am scandalized by the attitude of the players (some) towards the UBB. I think about sanctioning the group financially. Unbearable that our partners and supporters support us economically in this anxiety-provoking context and that the group has no respect.”

Je suis scandalisé par l’attitude des joueurs (certains) face à l’UBB. Je réfléchis à sanctionner le groupe financièrement. Insupportable que nos partenaires et supporters nous soutiennent économiquement dans ce contexte anxiogène et que le groupe n’ait aucun respect #SUA

— Jeff Fonteneau (@JeffFonteneau) October 31, 2020

In an interview with RMCSport, Fonteneau explained the decision: “It was obviously not an easy decision to make.

“Presidents are there in good times and bad. My role was to decide in an obviously complicated and anxiety-provoking context. The situation was falling apart.

“The behavior of the team in Bordeaux and against other teams at the start of the season is not worthy of professional players. It’s often easy to thank the coaches . There may also be other sanctions because we have situations, inside the club, which do not promote an effective collective or a table reversal. Unfortunately, that decision had to be made.”

“Losing is part of sport, but losing like we did is not normal. The team dropped this club, the jersey and certainly the coaches too.”