The catastrophic situation of Montpellier Hérault Rugby, last in the Top 14 after its setback in Perpignan (16-23) on Saturday, inevitably called for change. But the identity of the reinforcement in the club’s management is surprising. Former president of the French Rugby Federation Bernard Laporte will be appointed director of rugby at the MHR, announced club president Mohed Altrad in an interview with JDD. “When one of the best French managers is available, it’s a unique sporting opportunity, we couldn’t pass it up,” said the latter.
“Bernard Laporte is the culture of winning, leadership, team spirit,” continued Altrad. These are all the values of rugby that are dear to us. » Officially, Laporte therefore replaces Philippe Saint-André, who will now take care of “regalian” issues according to the president. The staff led by Ricard Cockerill therefore remains in place. For a time only? “It is this vision that animated me when I recruited Jake White in 2015, Vern Cotter in 2017 or Philippe Saint-André in 2020,” Altrad told JDD. The latter first joined the MHR as president of rugby, before being appointed general manager a few months later, replacing Xavier Garbajosa.
Their appeal is awaiting judgment
This hiring of Bernard Laporte by Mohed Altrad is not trivial and is part of a heavy legal context linking the two men. The ex-president of the FFR was sentenced last December to two suspended prison sentences and a fine of 75,000 euros, and was found guilty of having made a series of arbitrations for the benefit of Altrad, which had compensated up to 180,000 euros in March 2017, as part of an image contract that was never executed. Bernard Laporte appealed this judgment in December 2022 but, publicly criticized by the Minister of Sports, was forced to resign in January 2023. Mohed Altrad, sentenced to 18 months in prison and a fine of 50,000 euros, also appealed.
“Obviously Bernard Laporte told me that he had contacted the High Authority for the Transparency of Political Life (HATVP) and in the state of the criminal proceedings, which are still in progress, the club can hire Bernard Laporte for all the sporting aspect,” Altrad defended.
