Cologni appointed France coach

The FFR13 have confirmed that Aurelien Cologni has been appointed as the coach of the France national team.

The 38-year-old played for Catalans Dragons in the 2006 season, and represented France 23 times during his playing career.

He has also enjoyed a successful career as a player and coach in French domestic rugby league, and has previously coached the France team on an interim basis.

Cologni is keen to revive the fortunes of the French national side, and to imbue the team with a spirit of togetherness that he feels has been lacking in recent years.

“Roosevelt said, ‘Losers make excuses, winners find solutions,” said Cologni.

“I would add that the time for excuses is over and that the solutions lie before us, because together we can achieve everything.

“I want to continue the work we did with the senior team before the 2013 World Cup.

“In effect, we reorganized the France team, which was adrift in terms of results and rigour.

“We returned the pride in being an international and to play for your country, a central concern of the players.

“The seriousness of the training, the precise organization of meetings, travel and the work the staff did around the team to professionalize our trips, made the difference and gave dignity back to Team France.”

Cologni also wants to improve France‘s world ranking from seventh to fourth, and pick teams based on their form in the French domestic competition, for Toulouse, or for Catalans.

No player should feel that their place in the side is automatic, and all players must buy into the culture of the team completely.

“My approach is based on the winning culture, a refusal to be dominated and reflection on how to solve our problems,” he added

“I will invest myself fully in making Team France once again become a feared force, and not the laughing stock of the international scene.

“We will prove that our desire to shake the ‘Big Three’ (England, Australia and New Zealand) is not a dream.

“The size of the task and the challenge is immense, but the determination is stronger still.”