French rugby players are reported to have staged a coup rebellion against their coach, Philippe Saint‑André, less than 48 hours before they face New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal.
French media reports the players have decided that their coach is no longer fit to lead them, with suggestions that senior members of the squad took over team selection for Sunday’s match against the All Blacks at the Millennium Stadium.
This is not the first time that French players have rebelled against a coach during the World Cup.
In 2011 a group stage defeat to Tonga led players to stage an uprising, with No.8 Imanol Harinordoquy leading it.
New Zealand will meet France in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal at 7am Sunday.
The All Blacks have won the last eight tests against France and it is their best winning streak against the French for 47 years.
Meanwhile a leading sports psychologist is warning rugby fans not to become too superstitious about the ghosts of Rugby World Cup pasts when the All Blacks play France in this weekend’s quarterfinal in Paris.
Professor Gary Hermansson has worked with the Black Caps and New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games teams.
Professor Hermansson says while history shows the All Blacks do have problems at the elimination phase of the tournament that's no reason to be anxious this time.
He says the French will obviously be inspired by the history and the All Black should not get anxious about history.
Professor Hermansson says the risk for the All Blacks is that they try and play a different style of game come the knockout phase of the tournament which can lead to indecision in pressure situations and skills can drop away.
He says fans rather than players tend to be more superstitious.
The Wallabies will take on Scotland at 3am Monday, South Africa will take on Wales at 3am Sunday while Ireland will take on Argentina at 12am Monday.
Source: The Guardian
