Jean-Claude Skrela
Encyclopedia
Jean-Claude Skrela is a former coach of the French national rugby union team
. His son, David Skrela
, is a French rugby union player and his daughter, Gaëlle Skrela, is a professional basketball player.
The son of Polish refugees, he played rugby union for Toulouse. He played 46 times for France as a back row forward, culminating in a Five Nations Grand Slam in 1977. He also scored the first four-point try
in a major Test match on November 20, 1971, when he charged down a kick from Australian fullback Arthur McGill.
Skrela took over as national team coach from Pierre Berbizier
after the 1995 Rugby World Cup
. Despite France's historic 43-31 victory over the All Blacks in their World Cup semi-final at Twickenham, Skrela was heavily criticised for his team's performance in the early part of the 1999 World Cup
. The French went on to lose the 6 November final to 35-12 Australia - the largest margin of any of the four tournaments to date.
He went on to coach the national side to their first-ever back-to-back Grand Slams
in 1997 and 1998, before France slumped to the wooden spoon
in 1999.
He resigned and was replaced by Bernard Laporte
at the end of 1999.
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
. His son, David Skrela
David Skrela
David Skrela is a French rugby union footballer. He plays for the French national side and for ASM Clermont Auvergne as a fly-half or centre. He is renowned for his tackles and his kick....
, is a French rugby union player and his daughter, Gaëlle Skrela, is a professional basketball player.
The son of Polish refugees, he played rugby union for Toulouse. He played 46 times for France as a back row forward, culminating in a Five Nations Grand Slam in 1977. He also scored the first four-point try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
in a major Test match on November 20, 1971, when he charged down a kick from Australian fullback Arthur McGill.
Skrela took over as national team coach from Pierre Berbizier
Pierre Berbizier
Pierre Berbizier is a French former rugby union footballer, and currently head coach of Top 14 side Racing Métro. His usual position was at scrum-half. He played 56 times for France.-Biography:Berbizier was born in Saint-Gaudens...
after the 1995 Rugby World Cup
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country....
. Despite France's historic 43-31 victory over the All Blacks in their World Cup semi-final at Twickenham, Skrela was heavily criticised for his team's performance in the early part of the 1999 World Cup
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
. The French went on to lose the 6 November final to 35-12 Australia - the largest margin of any of the four tournaments to date.
He went on to coach the national side to their first-ever back-to-back Grand Slams
Grand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
in 1997 and 1998, before France slumped to the wooden spoon
Wooden spoon (award)
A wooden spoon is a mock or real award, usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition, but sometimes also to runners-up. Examples range from the academic to sporting and more frivolous events...
in 1999.
He resigned and was replaced by Bernard Laporte
Bernard Laporte
Bernard Laporte is a rugby union coach and former French Secretary of State for Sport. He is currently the head coach at Toulon, having taken over in 2011 from Philippe Saint-André, who had been named the new head coach of the France national team. Laporte himself is a former head coach of France,...
at the end of 1999.