XV of France: Raphaël Ibañez announces extension until June 2028 as manager

Raphaël Ibañez extends with the XV of France. The general manager of the French rugby team said he had extended with the staff of the Blues until June 2028, an announcement made on the show Europe 1 Sport (every evening from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.). “It’s working well so I’m going to extend the adventure”, justified the former rugby player after this exclusive announcement.

The coach of the XV of France Fabien Galthié had already announced his extension at the head of the team until 2027 but uncertainties hovered over his assistants. It is now more concrete for the future staff who will be in charge of carrying out the mission of the Blues after the World Cup next September. Raphaël Ibañez had joined the staff of the Blues in the fall of 2020.

Until June 2028

“This adventure is the most beautiful, the most intense that we can imagine, that we can live. So here it is, I signed until June 2028”, formalized the right arm of Fabien Galthié before to praise the XV of France: “It’s the most beautiful sporting adventure when you are passionate about rugby and when you are in action and in commitment.”

Fabien Galthié had officially taken office after the 2019 World Cup, with in his luggage renowned and quality assistants such as Shaun Edwards (defense), William Servat (scrum), Karim Ghezal (key), Thibault Giroud (performance director ) or Laurent Labit (attack coach). The last three will stop the tricolor adventure after the 2023 World Cup. But Laurent Labit and Karim Ghezal will still continue to work together at the Stade Français, their new base.

“Power Struggles”

Asked also about the placement in police custody on Tuesday of Bernard Laporte in a case of money laundering of aggravated tax fraud, Raphaël Ibanez deplored the “gap” between the “sporting mission” of the Blues and the new legal troubles of the president in withdrawal from the FFR. “This only sometimes illustrates the gap between our mission which is sporting (…), which is in no way political, and (…) all these movements above the XV of France which are the result of power struggles” , he said.

Bernard Laporte was released from police custody in the evening. “We, our trajectory is clear: we are heading with the team towards the goal of a lifetime (to win the World Cup in France in the fall)”, underlined Ibanez, before adding: “I don’t does not want governance destabilized by elections in the midst of sporting competition or power struggles”.

“I would not like to rush into a hasty judgment (…) there is an ongoing trial (…)”, further affirmed the manager of the Blues. But, he concluded, “everything we experience with the XV of France, we owe it to Bernard Laporte, president of the Federation: the World Cup in France, it’s him”.