Philippe Saint-André
Encyclopedia
Philippe Georges Saint-André (born 19 April 1967 in Romans-sur-Isère
, Drôme
) is a former French
rugby union
footballer who earned 69 test caps
for France
between 1990 and 1997, 34 of them as captain. His preferred position was wing but he could also play at Fullback. After retiring, Saint-André found success as a rugby coach in both England
and France. He was serving as director of rugby at Toulon
, having moved from Sale Sharks
after the 2008–09 season before being announced as the successful candidate for head coach of France.
in 1988. He played with the club until 1996. In 1994, Montferrand made it to the 1994 championship finals, only to be beaten by Toulouse
. In 1996, Saint-André crossed the Channel to join English championship club Gloucester Rugby and played with them until retiring in 1999.
Saint-André made his test debut as a centre in the infamous 6-12 loss to Romania
at Auch
on 24 May 1990. He replaced Olivier Roumat
as captain for the final match of the 1994 Five Nations against Scotland, winning 20-12 and scoring a try.
Under his captaincy, France had one of their greatest achievements by winning both Tests of their 1994 tour of New Zealand. The tour was capped off by one of the most famous tries in rugby history. France were trailing the All Blacks near full time of the second Test, and were pinned back deep in their own end by a tactical kick. Saint-André fielded the kick and began a counter-attack that ended in a spectacular try, capped off by Jean-Luc Sadourny
touching down for the points that secured the win. After the match, Saint-André called the play that led to the winning try "a counter-attack from the end of the world", and it would be permanently enshrined in rugby lore as the "try from the end of the world".
He was also top scorer of the 1993 and 1995 editions of the French championship, and placed a total of 152 points with the French team. Saint-André's final international appearance was on 22 November 1997 in a 10-52 loss to South Africa
. He ended his career as the second-highest try scorer in the history of the French team, a position he still holds.
He won the award for Olympic Midi (Best player French Championship) in 1994, and the distinction of Best Coach in England in 2006.
In 1995, with the journalist Richard Escot, he co-authored a biography full of emotion, warmth and humour, albeit in his own image, Saint-André, the novel, published by Calmann-Levy.
His brother Raphaël, an Outside centre, played alongside him at Montferrand, and was with him finalist in the French Championship and the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1994.
. Arriving in 2004 after applying and being overlooked for the post of coach of Wales, he returned to England, taking control of the club Sale Sharks, with the first result a victory in the European Challenge 2005.
In August 2011 it was announced that Saint-André would replace Marc Lièvremont
as head coach of France after the 2011 Rugby World Cup
. He will formally take over on 1 December 2011.
Romans-sur-Isère
Romans-sur-Isère or Romans is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Geography:...
, Drôme
Drôme
Drôme , a department in southeastern France, takes its name from the Drôme River.-History:The French National Constituent Assembly set up Drôme as one of the original 83 departments of France on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution...
) is a former French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who earned 69 test caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
between 1990 and 1997, 34 of them as captain. His preferred position was wing but he could also play at Fullback. After retiring, Saint-André found success as a rugby coach in both England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and France. He was serving as director of rugby at Toulon
RC Toulonnais
RC Toulonnais is a French professional rugby union club based in Toulon in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, having moved from Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
after the 2008–09 season before being announced as the successful candidate for head coach of France.
Playing career
Affectionately known as le Goret ("the pig"), Saint-André made his Championship debut with ASM MontferrandASM Clermont Auvergne
Association Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne are a French rugby union club from Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne that currently competes in Top 14, the top level of the French league system, ASMCA are the were the 2010 France Top 14 Champions. It is the rugby section of the multi-sport club...
in 1988. He played with the club until 1996. In 1994, Montferrand made it to the 1994 championship finals, only to be beaten by Toulouse
Stade Toulousain
Stade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps...
. In 1996, Saint-André crossed the Channel to join English championship club Gloucester Rugby and played with them until retiring in 1999.
Saint-André made his test debut as a centre in the infamous 6-12 loss to Romania
Romania national rugby union team
The Romania national rugby union team , nicknamed The Oaks , is the representative side of Romania in rugby union. Long considered one of the stronger European teams outside the Six Nations, they have participated in all six Rugby World Cups, and currently compete in the first division of the...
at Auch
Auch
Auch is a commune in southwestern France. Located in the region of Midi-Pyrénées, it is the capital of the Gers department. Auch is the historical capital of Gascony.-The Ausci:...
on 24 May 1990. He replaced Olivier Roumat
Olivier Roumat
Olivier Roumat is a former French rugby union footballer. He played as a number-eight, openside flanker and lock....
as captain for the final match of the 1994 Five Nations against Scotland, winning 20-12 and scoring a try.
Under his captaincy, France had one of their greatest achievements by winning both Tests of their 1994 tour of New Zealand. The tour was capped off by one of the most famous tries in rugby history. France were trailing the All Blacks near full time of the second Test, and were pinned back deep in their own end by a tactical kick. Saint-André fielded the kick and began a counter-attack that ended in a spectacular try, capped off by Jean-Luc Sadourny
Jean-Luc Sadourny
Jean-Luc Sadourny is a former French rugby union footballer and a current coach. He played as a fullback. He was nicknamed The Old Woman and he's generally considered one of the best French players of his generation, a fair successor to Serge Blanco in his position.Sadourny played all his career...
touching down for the points that secured the win. After the match, Saint-André called the play that led to the winning try "a counter-attack from the end of the world", and it would be permanently enshrined in rugby lore as the "try from the end of the world".
He was also top scorer of the 1993 and 1995 editions of the French championship, and placed a total of 152 points with the French team. Saint-André's final international appearance was on 22 November 1997 in a 10-52 loss to South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
. He ended his career as the second-highest try scorer in the history of the French team, a position he still holds.
He won the award for Olympic Midi (Best player French Championship) in 1994, and the distinction of Best Coach in England in 2006.
In 1995, with the journalist Richard Escot, he co-authored a biography full of emotion, warmth and humour, albeit in his own image, Saint-André, the novel, published by Calmann-Levy.
His brother Raphaël, an Outside centre, played alongside him at Montferrand, and was with him finalist in the French Championship and the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1994.
Coaching career
After retiring, Saint-André took up the head coach position at Gloucester Rugby, making the club one of the best in England before returning to France to coach CS Bourgoin-JallieuCS Bourgoin-Jallieu
CS Bourgoin-Jallieu is a French rugby union club currently competing in the second level of the French league system in the Pro D2. The club have been runners-up in the French championship and the Challenge Yves du Manoir competitions, and have won the Challenge Cup.Founded in 1906 as "Club...
. Arriving in 2004 after applying and being overlooked for the post of coach of Wales, he returned to England, taking control of the club Sale Sharks, with the first result a victory in the European Challenge 2005.
In August 2011 it was announced that Saint-André would replace Marc Lièvremont
Marc Lièvremont
Marc Lièvremont is a former rugby union footballer and was the head coach of the French national rugby union team. He played as a back-row forward for France, gaining 25 caps from 1995 to 1999, and was selected in France's 1999 Rugby World Cup squad...
as head coach of France after the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
. He will formally take over on 1 December 2011.