Top 14 – “A fashionista”, when Vincent Etcheto attacked Bernard Laporte in 2019
In the middle of a major interview given to Midi Olympique, in which he spared no one, Vincent Etcheto notably targeted Bernard Laporte, then president of the French Rugby Federation. Four years later, the two men will collaborate in Montpellier.
Vincent Etcheto is a man who knows how to say what he thinks. In 2019, when he had just seen his adventure with Rowing Bayonnais end, Jean-Dauger’s grandson gave an interview to Midi Olympique. In it, the former UBB coach returned to various things and did not refrain from tackling some of the public figures of French rugby. Four years later and after a stint at Soyaux-Angoulême, Etcheto is back as coach within the new Montpellier staff. The latter is led by Patrice Collazo – who replaces Richard Cockerill – and includes Antoine Battut, Christian Labit and therefore Vincent Etcheto. Above all, the main information is the arrival of Bernard Laporte as Director of Rugby.
“Sometimes statistics reassure the incompetent”
A reshuffle which surprised, since many strong characters are found in this staff, which “understand each other and we already get along well”, assures Christian Labit. However, during the famous interview with Etcheto mentioned above, the Bayonnais native was not kind to Laporte. Extract : “We had a coach from the French XV, Bernard Laporte who was a fashionista. One day, we played like the South Africans, another like the Australians, then like the English. He knows the game, knows how to talk to men but, with him, the last one who speaks is right. In sport, it’s terrible.” As a reminder, these comments were made in 2019 and in the meantime, water may have flowed over the bridges.
It is also interesting to observe that during this interview, Etcheto had already mentioned the risks of data in rugby. A subject that had been widely talked about recently with the explanations of Fabien Galthié after the World Cup. “Sometimes statistics reassure the incompetent, Etcheto had said. I’m not saying that there are only incompetents in French rugby, but there are a few. I came across some. (…) Fabien Galthié was champion with Stade français (2007). He became the prodigy and gifted coach. However, since then, nothing has happened!”
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