Laporte Lashes Les Bleus.
French coach Bernard Laporte yesterday lashed some of his players after the defeat in Lansdowne Road, saying they “lacked respect for one another.”
French coach Bernard Laporte yesterday lashed some of his players after the defeat in Lansdowne Road, saying they “lacked respect for one another,” and that they (France) would not be world champions if they had to rely on the team that played against Ireland.
“We have lost our two matches because of indiscipline. You look at the game on Saturday. It is clear there is no respect. I pull a shirt, I put in an elbow, I do this, I do that and baff there’s a penalty,” a clearly furious coach said.
“It’s all about one’s attitude, one’s repsect for those around you. I do not want us to lie to ourselves there. I will not accept that. I do not like liars because they are cheating on their team-mates.”
Laporte has a reputation of being a strict disciplinarian and in the past had a policy that saw players dropped if they picked up yellow cards, and not considered for his squad if they did so in club games. He singled out two players in particular for criticism.
“Why does Serge Betsen make 15 mistakes a match now ? Explain that to me. Why does he make that amount of errors. ?
“Why does Jean-Jacques Crenca give away five penalties per match ? It is important they explain this to me.
“But I will tell you this. We will not be world champions with this team, the team that played against Ireland. Aside from Fabien Pelous who among the squad can say they are the best in the world ? Nobody. Therefore it is only as a unit we can succeed and in that situation we have to have respect for everything.
“Unfortunately, several in this squad believe themselves to be players they clearly are not. They read and believe what they read in the newspapers.
“I said this team had soul. Today it does not possess one.”
Laporte makes no secret of his desire to have Fabien Galthie, Tony Marsh and Pieter de Villiers back in his squad, believing these players will take on the responsibility other players were avoiding in the defeats against Ireland and England. Tomorrow he names his squad of 22 for the next game, against Italy in Rome on Sunday week.