Christophe Urios and his crazy gang of French champions Castres

Alex Broun 00:55 27/08/2018
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  • Christophe Urios - the unconventional coach of champions Castres

    Underdogs Castres Olympique, who came from nowhere to win last season’s Top 14, have started this term just as they finished the previous with a hard fought 25-20 win over Montpellier in the grand final replay.

    Castres, who come from the little-known region of Occitania in the south of France, stunned the rugby world when they went on a giant killing run after just squeezing into last term’s Top 14 playoffs.

    First they defeated Toulouse 23-11 in the qualifiers, then star-studded Racing 92 19-14 in the semi-finals before outplaying heavily favoured billionaire club Montpellier in the final 29-13.

    They are a team of rejects, unknowns and journeyman who believe simply in working hard for each other – like a French version of the Exeter Chiefs.

    Almost to prove this fact, their tries in last year’s final were scored by 30-year-old fullback Julien Dumora and former Greater Sydney Rams lock Steve Mafi. Their real match winner however is the accurate boot of 32-year-old Pumas outcast, fly-half Benjamín Urdapilleta.

    Castres' centre Thomas Combezou celebrates during last season's Top 14 final.

    Castres’ centre Thomas Combezou celebrates during last season’s Top 14 final.

    Olympique play out of the humble Stade Pierre Fabre, the smallest ground in the Top 14 seating just 12,500 and named after the late pharmaceutical magnate who owned Castres from 1988 until his death in 2013.

    The mastermind behind this “little-club-done-good story” is the eccentric 52-year-old coach Christophe Urios, who first came to Castres to work in Pierre Fabre’s laboratories as coordinator of new cosmetic products.

    Urios loved it until the day in 1996, when he was told he would have to become a professional player.

    Dream come true right? Wrong. He was so bored with just two hours training a day he decided to study to become a coach.

    He started his coaching career at Bourgoin before moving on to Oyonnax who he took from the lowly Pro D2 to the heights of the Top 14 over “eight incredible years”, before returning to Castres.

    He is now being spoken of as the next coach of the France national team after Jacques Brunel.

    Not surprisingly Urios’ approach is down to hard work.

    “I’m here from morning till night, seven days a week, with my staff,” he explains. “I do not have a method, I have a state of mind. I could train on the moon.”

    “I am different from others, against the grain of everything. But in this rugby that goes in all directions, I feel that it was good that Castres is champion of France.”

    It was more of the same on the opening weekend of the new season as recent signing 32-year-old fullback Scott Spedding crossed for a double, and 37-year-old Uruguayan international lock Rodrigo Capo Ortega picked up a third.

    Urdapilleta picked up his usual 10 points (two conversion and two penalties) and Vern Cotter’s bevy of Springboks, All Blacks and current French internationals was put to the sword again.

    It only increased the frustration levels of Montpellier’s owner – Syrian-born billionaire Mohed Altrad. It seems money can’t always buy what simple hard work delivers.

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