Why Crazy Bernie, pollie and ham spruiker, is on the nose

September 15, 2007

In the eyes of French fans, Bernard Laporte can engineer anything but success where it counts, writes Rupert Guinness in Cardiff.

French coach Bernard Laporte has had better weeks. Far better …

From being championed as the mastermind behind France's long and costly bid to win its first World Cup, the bespectacled 43-year-old has suddenly become the target everyone wants to take a shot at.

And all because of his side's shock loss to Argentina in the World Cup opener before a crowd of 80,000 at Stade de France last Friday.

France, one of the favourites to win the tournament, are now a team under siege, facing the real possibility of elimination if they lose to Ireland at Stade de France this coming Friday.

And Laporte is the man many Frenchmen want to blame for landing Les Bleus in a situation which has turned even Sunday's group match against lowly Namibia at Toulouse into a pressure cooker. This has to do with the bonus points on offer - which could be vital should Ireland beat Argentina in the last clash of their group.

So what has been the beef about Laporte? It goes beyond criticism of his tactics against the Argentines - or lack of. Beyond, indeed, that with such a loss, France under Laporte have now failed in two career-defining games - the first being the 2003 World Cup semi-final in Sydney when Les Bleus waved a white flag of surrender against England.

Sure, France might be the back-to-back Six Nations champions. But this year's World Cup has indicated that the southern hemisphere nations look to be a class above the north - Argentina included. So the value of the Six Nations title could be brought into question.

But what really worries the French about Laporte - also known as "Bernie le dingue" (Crazy Bernie) for his eccentric looks, manners, way and speed of speech - is the man himself.

Many suspect Laporte, coach since 1999, is doing everything but what he should be: fulfilling his duty to win the World Cup.

His name and face are everywhere - and have long been. His public profile is not confined to rugby, but extends to marketing campaigns - one of them for a French ham.

For a start, there is his ongoing ownership of two casinos. They are just two of Laporte's business interests that number about 20 and reportedly include camping grounds and restaurants. There is even a Gaillac rosé wine bearing his name.

But whether France win the World Cup or not, Laporte's face will still be prominent as he has been appointed sports minister by the new French president and one of his closest friends, Nicolas Sarkozy - a post he will take up after the cup.

That alone is a sticking point for many Frenchmen, who believe Laporte's ties with Sarkozy have turned the World Cup into a platform for a political, rather than sporting, campaign.

It didn't help Laporte that after France's loss in the tournament opener, it was revealed he put into practice one of the first initiatives the nationalistic Sarkozy has decided to introduce to all French schools.

Laporte is said to have read to his squad before the match a well-known and heart-wrenching letter written by 17-year-old French resistance fighter Guy Moquet to his family on the eve of his execution by a German firing squad in World War II that spoke of unity, sacrifice and courage.

Despite denials from the team that the letter pushed them into despair, one French newspaper asked in light of their poor game if France could expect a drop in academic standards.

Laporte quickly began trying to retrieve the lost verve in his team by making 12 changes for the game against Namibia.

As this was happening, it was revealed that he was selling personally signed French jerseys on his website at for €149 ($247) - almost double the usual price. With 10,000 for sale, a tidy sum looked set to come Laporte's way.

He said after news of the sale broke that the dosh would go to a charity, yet to be decided.

Of course, once Laporte starts his political career, all of this will again come into question.

How can a politician justify the ownership of casinos? How can he continue to be the face of a cured meat or any other product when he is the face of a government?

He is yet to win a ringing endorsement from French rugby fans. He might be able to put a big red tick beside "business" and "political interests" on his resume, but the box next to his role as coach is still blank.