Pierre Berbizier
Encyclopedia
Pierre Berbizier is a French former rugby union
footballer, and currently head coach of Top 14 side Racing Métro. His usual position was at scrum-half. He played 56 times for France
.
. He made his international debut for France as a 22 year-old on 17 January 1981 in a test during the Five Nations
against Scotland
in Paris, which France won 16 points to nine. He played in the remaining Five Nations matches that season; earning caps against Ireland
, Wales
and England
. He was capped twice more after the Five Nations that year, in two matches against the All Blacks, which France lost.
He was capped twice the following year; once during the Five Nations against Ireland in Paris, which France won 22 points to nine, and then against Romania
in Bucharest
, which France lost. He played in two Five Nations matches in 1983, and one the following year. Appearing just once in the 1984 Five Nations, he was then capped twice against the All Blacks in Christchurch
and Auckland
, both of which the All Blacks won. He played twice for France in 1985; in a two test series against Argentina
.
After appearing for France on various occasions throughout the early 1980s, he was capped 11 times during the 1986 season; including all the Five Nations matches, as well as three games against the All Blacks. The following season he led France to a grand slam victory at the 1987 Five Nations. 1987 was also the year of the first-ever Rugby World Cup
, in which France were invited to compete, as they were an IRFB
member. France played Scotland in the first World Cup match, drawing 20-all in Christchurch. he led them to subsequent victories over Romania and Fiji
, which saw them enter the finals, defeating the Wallabies
in a classic semifinal encounter 30–24 to enter the first World Cup final. They went down to hosts, the All Blacks, 29–9 at Eden Park
. His last cap for France was at Twickenham
on 16 March 1991. In 1992 he became the head coach of France, and led them to the semi-finals at the 1995 Rugby World Cup
. He was sacked after falling out with French Federation president Bernard Lapasset.
He went onto coach at Narbonne
, and since worked as a television pundit. Berbizier took over from John Kirwan to coach Italy. Under Berbizier, Italy for the first time won two matches in a single Six Nations edition in 2007 when they defeated Scotland 37–17 at Murrayfield
and Wales 23–20 at Stadio Flaminio
in Rome. He resigned as national team coach following the 2007 Rugby World Cup
to take up the head coaching position at Racing Métro.
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, and currently head coach of Top 14 side Racing Métro. His usual position was at scrum-half. He played 56 times 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...
.
Biography
Berbizier was born in Saint-GaudensSaint-Gaudens
Saint-Gaudens is a commune and a sub-prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.Saint-Gaudens lies at an altitude of 405 m on a ledge overlooking the valley of the Garonne...
. He made his international debut for France as a 22 year-old on 17 January 1981 in a test during the Five Nations
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
against Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
in Paris, which France won 16 points to nine. He played in the remaining Five Nations matches that season; earning caps against Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
, Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
and England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
. He was capped twice more after the Five Nations that year, in two matches against the All Blacks, which France lost.
He was capped twice the following year; once during the Five Nations against Ireland in Paris, which France won 22 points to nine, and then against 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...
in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, which France lost. He played in two Five Nations matches in 1983, and one the following year. Appearing just once in the 1984 Five Nations, he was then capped twice against the All Blacks in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
and Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, both of which the All Blacks won. He played twice for France in 1985; in a two test series against Argentina
Argentina national rugby union team
The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
.
After appearing for France on various occasions throughout the early 1980s, he was capped 11 times during the 1986 season; including all the Five Nations matches, as well as three games against the All Blacks. The following season he led France to a grand slam victory at the 1987 Five Nations. 1987 was also the year of the first-ever Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
, in which France were invited to compete, as they were an IRFB
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
member. France played Scotland in the first World Cup match, drawing 20-all in Christchurch. he led them to subsequent victories over Romania and Fiji
Fiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
, which saw them enter the finals, defeating the Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
in a classic semifinal encounter 30–24 to enter the first World Cup final. They went down to hosts, the All Blacks, 29–9 at Eden Park
Eden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
. His last cap for France was at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
on 16 March 1991. In 1992 he became the head coach of France, and led them to the semi-finals at the 1995 Rugby World Cup
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country....
. He was sacked after falling out with French Federation president Bernard Lapasset.
He went onto coach at Narbonne
RC Narbonne
Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée is a French rugby union club that play in the second-level Rugby Pro D2, after finishing at the bottom of the 2006-07 Top 14 table....
, and since worked as a television pundit. Berbizier took over from John Kirwan to coach Italy. Under Berbizier, Italy for the first time won two matches in a single Six Nations edition in 2007 when they defeated Scotland 37–17 at Murrayfield
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
and Wales 23–20 at Stadio Flaminio
Stadio Flaminio
The Stadio Flaminio is a stadium in Rome. It lies along the Via Flaminia, three kilometres northwest of the city centre, 300 metres away from the Parco di Villa Glori....
in Rome. He resigned as national team coach following the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
to take up the head coaching position at Racing Métro.
External links
- Pierre Berbizier on sporting-heroes.net
- Italians name Berbizier as coach