Pierre Villepreux (born 5 July 1943) is a former

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

rugby union player and coach. He played at full back and fly half for Toulouse, and won 34 caps for France between 1967 and 1972. Villepreux was born in Pompadour. While Villepreux had a distinguished career as a player, World Rugby had the following to say about him when he was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2018:

However, it was as an innovative, free-thinking coach that Villepreux was revered throughout the rugby world. He took as his coaching creed "flexibility and adaptability, not organisation” and espoused the traditional open French style of play.

He coached the Italy national rugby union team from 1978 until 1981, and then returned to Toulouse as head coach. Working alongside Jean-Claude Skrela, he coached Toulouse to the

national title A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the best team, indi ...

in 1985, the club's first since 1947, and would lead them to two more titles. After leaving Toulouse in 1989, he continued coaching in the European club ranks until France hired Skrela as its new head coach after a disappointing

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. The World Cup was the first major sporting event to take place in Sou ...

campaign. Skrela then tabbed Villepreux as his top assistant. The partnership proved successful, with France winning the

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...

and

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...

Five Nations titles and reaching the

1999 Rugby World Cup The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial international rugby union championship. It was principally hosted by Wales, and was won by Australia. This was the first Rugby World Cup to be held in the sport's professi ...

Final under their leadership. After the 1999 World Cup, he became technical director for the French Rugby Federation, and still later went on to work as Regional Development Manager for Europe in the Rugby Services division of the International Rugby Board, now known as World Rugby.

References

External links

Pierre Villepreux on Sporting-hereoes.net

1943 births Living people French rugby union players French rugby union coaches Stade Toulousain coaches France international rugby union players Italy national rugby team coaches Stade Toulousain players World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees {{France-rugbyunion-bio-stub

See also

References

External links