Phillipe Saint-Andre - The Premiership, the Top 14 and his Academy

TRU's Joe Harvey catches up with the ex-French and Sale Sharks Manager and discusses all things Premiership, Top 14 and his rugby academy:

“Ah, Simmonds,” Phillippe Saint-Andre purred when asked about who his favourite Premiership player has been this season, “I commentated on the first game of the season and I said; ‘watch this guy, he will be an international.’”

High praise indeed. Having coached France into the quarter-finals of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Philippe Saint-Andre knows what to look for in international players. “In November he was an international, then played in the Six Nations. He’s just superb, not a big number eight, but he’s got good feet.”

Now working as a pundit for French television, Saint-Andre has real premiership pedigree. Playing at Kingsholm for two seasons, the Frenchman eventually took the reigns as Director of Rugby for Gloucester. The highlight of his time in charge of the cherry and whites being when he led them to second in the table in only his second year in charge.

I thought this was the best opportunity to ask him about what he thought of Gloucester’s high-profile signing, Danny Cipriani; “To be honest I think he’s a good signing for Gloucester because Danny has had a good season for Wasps.”

“He’s created a lot of tries, a fantastic footballer, I’ve felt that he’s improved his defence this year. I think that Gloucester have improved their forwards,” referencing some of Gloucester’s recent additions; Jaco Kriel and Gerbrandt Grobler. “After not finishing in the top six and losing in the final of the Challenge Cup, Danny Cipriani will be a big asset going forwards for Gloucester as they try to get in the top four.”

Following his exit from Gloucester, Saint-Andre moved back to France, but before too long was at Sale Sharks for the clubs most successful period. During his tenure at Sale, the club won the European Challenge Cup in 2005 and the Premiership in 2006.

With this in mind it felt prudent to ask Philippe about who he thought would win the Premiership this Saturday, “I commentated Saturday’s semi-final of Saracens vs Wasps and I was very impressed by Saracens. I think that they are back to their best.”

“All their key players are playing again after a long season. For them, being out of the Champions Cup gave them a couple weeks off. I was very impressed by the two Vunipola brothers, Farrell, Itoje, Goode, Wigglesworth and Lozowski at thirteen.” I may back Sarries too now after that endorsement.

Not only a top-class coach in England, Philippe has cut his teeth as a coach in his native France. Success soon followed. In his debut season at CS Bourgoin-Jallieu the club began to look like real title contenders.

Several years later, following his spell at Sale, Saint-Andre moved to the south of France to become the sporting president at Toulon. This was the start of the clubs’ successes. In 2010, Toulon were runners up of the Challenge Cup, in just over a year Philippe presided over the signings of Jonny Wilkinson, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and Felipe Contepomi, the foundations of Toulon’s success.

With Philippe’s vast experience in both England and France in mind, I wanted to know, could the Top 14 learn anything from the Premiership; “In the Top 14, the squads are bigger, the season is longer and it’s not refereed the same. In English rugby the referees are very, very harsh with the first tackler. If he doesn’t move away quick enough then that player is penalised a lot.”

“In the Top 14, what you saw in the quarter-final last week, between Racing and Munster, the team who didn’t have the ball was the French and the French team won.” Philippe began, “then in English rugby Saracens and Exeter are in possession of the ball and win the two games, it’s a completely different philosophy.”

“I enjoy commentating on the Premiership because it is so quick, there are such high standards, they’re very skilful and there are a lot of tries. In the semi-final there were 90 points in eighty minutes.” Explained Philippe, clearly in two minds about which league that he preferred the most, “it’s really difficult, it’s a completely different game, it’s rugby union but it’s a different system, different organisation, they referee differently.”

Now only coaching Cameroon on a voluntary basis, Philippe spends the majority of his time focussed on the Philippe Saint-Andre Academies; “After I coached the French team I decided to invest in the young guys so that I could maximise their potential and try to give them some world-class coaching.”

“We started in Tignes and there will be three weeks in July and we’ll have around 150 to 160 children.” Philippe explained, “But we do a camp in Ireland and this year we do a camp in Finborough this August. We will open in America. I did Martinique in March, there were 150 kids.”

To learn more about what Philippe and his Academies are doing by visiting their website; psaacademies.com.