France announce new coaching team

After one of the most successful ever years, France have announced a whole new coaching team for the 2015 Six Nations, and potentially beyond.

Published by John Birch, November 22nd, 2014

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France announce new coaching team

Philippe Laurent steps up from U20s to the French senior team

Although Nathalie Janvier remains “Chef de delegation” (in effect, chair of selectors) her management and training team for 2015 is completely new.

The coaching partnership of Christian Gallonier (a familiar face as coach of the national team since taking over after the 2010 World Cup) and France’s first female Hall of Fame inductee Nathalie Amiel, steps down. They are replaced by Jean-Michel Gonzalez and Philippe Laurent

Jean-Michel Gonzalez (nicknamed “Gonzo”) will be the new forwards coach. He won 35 caps for France between 1992 and 1996 at prop and hooker, and moved into coaching in 2005 at Bayonne and Biarritz in the men's Top 14. He has also coached the women's AS Bayonne team in the Armelle Auclair (one division below the Top 8).

Backs coach Philippe Laurent is likely to be familiar face to many of the French women’s squad, especially those moving into the team to replace players who retired after the World Cup. In recent years he has been at the centre of the successful national women’s U20s, including six back-to-back wins over England U20s from 2012-2014. Francis Costa, from Ovalie Caennaise, replaces him in the otherwise unchanged U20 coaching and management team.

At team manager Karl Janik replaces Annick Hayraud. Karl won a single international cap at flanker in 1987, but has many years of experience coaching the women’s teams at the University of Rouen (ASRUC), where he is a Professor in the faculty of sport, and the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce, also in Rouen.

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