On the very last day of 2022 comes the momentous news of Annick Hayraud’s decision to retire from her position as manager of the French national team.
From the day of her first appointment 2011 – with a short break in the mid-2010s – till today she has been the one fixed point in the fortunes of Les Bleues. She has shared with her squad the joys of achievement, two bronze medals at World Cups and a Grand Slam in 2018.
Her own career had early success too; she won her first cap at 19, and at one stage held the record as the most capped French player. She took her coaching seriously, gaining her first qualifications at the age of 20. She coached her home club of Romagnat before rising to the eminent position she held across two decades.
By a strange coincidence, Hayraud was a member of the group supporting Bernard Laporte’s successful candidacy for the post of President of France Rugby in 2016. Both have now disappeared from public view in quick succession.
For many years she was the sole female figure to hold such a leading appointment in European rugby. During 2022 we had to wonder about her future as the FFR made a series of adjustments to its leading staff. First, Thomas Darracq was put in charge, while Hayraud maintained her position of manager, but deprived of overall responsiblity. More recently still Darracq resigned from office, to be replaced by Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz. We will never know now how that trio would have shared out its complex tasks.
Within the Six Nations confederation France was unique in keeping an onfield ‘manager’ in place. We had to assume that Hayraud had the final responsibility for selecting every French squad. Any stories of arguments and disagreements between parties were kept strictly in house.
When it comes to the choice of captain, Hayraud can hardly be faulted. Mignot herself became a natural leader under her tutelage. Likewise Gaëlle Hermet was selected by Hayraud as her replacement, when one of the youngest members of the squad. She has proved a very worthy successor.
For the moment we await news of whether there will be a direct replacement. If not, then the duo of Mignot and Ortiz will have to form an amicable partnership. If it came to a vote for this selection or that, there would not be a third party present to offer a casting vote. The FFR may well have a few more names and adjustments up its sleeve to offer us soon.
In the meantime we must regret the disappearance of this distinguished figure from women’s rugby.
