Pierre Mignoni, who will leave the position of sports manager of Lyon at the end of the season, will form a coaching duo with Franck Azéma in Toulon next school year, announced Wednesday the Var club, current penultimate of the Top 14. “We have formalized a four-year agreement with Pierre and extended the contract for the same period for Franck”, specified the president of the RCT, Bernard Lemaître, during a press conference.
Present at his side, Franck Azéma clarified that they would be “both on the ground”: “I am convinced that we can do a good job together, feed on our skills”. “I’m very excited, it’s innovative and challenging,” he added.
In a press release, the Toulon Rugby club specified that Pierre Mignoni would join La Rade “next season and for a period of four years (2022-2026) as director of rugby”. “Franck Azéma, sports manager of the club, whose current contract includes the 2022-2023 season, has been extended for three years, so until 2026 as well. Franck Azéma and Pierre Mignoni will share all of the responsibilities and challenges of the RCT’s sports policy,” the statement added.
Lyon announced on February 3 the departure of Pierre Mignoni at the end of the season, one year from the end of his contract, scheduled for 2023. He will be replaced in the Rhône by Xavier Garbajosa, ex-coach at La Rochelle and Montpellier. Mignoni, a former scrum-half from Toulon, Béziers, Dax, Clermont and the XV of France (28 selections), arrived at LOU Rugby seven years ago, in 2015, from Toulon where he had been assistant to Bernard Laporte.
Ollivon and Villière will stay, Waisea will come well, Carbonel will leave
The RCT, born in 1908, has one of the richest records in French rugby: it has won four French championship titles (1931, 1987, 1992, and 2014) and three European Cups (2013, 2014, 2015).
Its president Bernard Lemaître announced, in addition to the arrival of Mignoni, that the internationals Charles Ollivon, Gabin Villière and Jean-Baptiste Gros would stay at the club. The three-quarters of Stade Français Waisea Nayacalevu, main recruit for next season on the Rade, will indeed come, also confirmed Bernard Lemaître.
Rumors about the departure desires of these players, in the face of the club’s poor results, had circulated this week, causing concern among supporters. “Rumors aimed at destabilizing the club,” reacted Bernard Lemaître.
The young international fly-half Louis Carbonel (23 years old, 5 caps), trained at the club, will however leave next season. It is announced on the side of Montpellier.