France head coach Fabien Galthié is reportedly preparing a major overhaul of his coaching team, with a South African specialist coach among the casualties.
Reports from France indicate that respected kicking coach Vlok Cilliers and long-time defence guru Shaun Edwards are among those set to depart.
According to L’Equipe, Edwards was notably absent from recent coaching meetings in Narbonne and Montpellier as preparations began for the upcoming Nations Championship campaign.
Les Blues play the All Blacks, Wallabies and Japan in the opening rounds of fixtures in the new north versus south competition.
The report claims Galthié wants to refresh his management group ahead of the 2027 World Cup, despite France winning the 2026 Six Nations title earlier this year.
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Edwards, widely regarded as one of rugby’s premier defence coaches, remains contracted to France until 2028.
However, L’Equipe reports that his future has become “a real issue” within the national setup, with former France defence coach Gérald Bastide identified as a short-term replacement.
Bastide, currently working with the France Women, is expected to oversee the defence during the July internationals while a longer-term solution is explored.
The shake-up could also spell the end of Cilliers’ involvement with Les Bleus.
The former flyhalf, who made a single appearance for the Springboks, previously worked with Galthié at Toulon.
He is reportedly set to be replaced for the July series by Toulon kicking coach Maxime Petitjean.
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The move comes as a surprise given the success of France’s kicking game in recent seasons, which has been a cornerstone of their rise under Galthié.
While no official reason has been provided for Cilliers’ reported departure, the highly respected South African remains one of the most sought-after specialist coaches in world rugby.
Meanwhile, former France centre Geoffrey Doumayrou has emerged as the leading candidate to succeed Edwards on a permanent basis, although Montpellier are reportedly reluctant to lose the highly rated defence coach.
Photo: @Vlokskop10/X
The post Saffa faces axe in Les Bleus coaching shake-up appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
France head coach Fabien Galthié is reportedly preparing a major overhaul of his coaching team, with a South African specialist coach among the casualties.
The post Saffa faces axe in Les Bleus coaching shake-up appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
