The defeat against La Rochelle (32-17) on Saturday - the first at home in the league for more than two years - was one too many.

The Pierre-Fabre fortress has fallen, and its guardian with it.

When he appeared before the press after the match, Broncan, 48, knew he was seriously threatened by the series of poor results of the CO, 11th in the Top 14 just two points from the penultimate place .

"It's my job, it's like that," he said, fatalistic.

"The coach is under pressure even when he goes to the championship final. The pressure is there all the time. I focus on what I can control."

In the week preceding this match, Castres president Pierre-Yves Revol had put the management and the players "face to face with their responsibilities", publicly threatening to "activate all the right springs" in the event of failure.

He chose the most obvious: the dismissal of the manager, immediately replaced by a former member of the house, Jeremy Davidson, himself thanked by Brive in mid-October.

"The worrying situation of the club, after its defeat against La Rochelle, recurring shortcomings in our game currently and certain internal difficulties lead us to make a change", justified Revol in a press release.

Coach Jeremy Davidson, March 5, 2022 in La Rochelle © XAVIER LEOTY / AFP/Archives

"Pierre-Henry Broncan has had a remarkable career with our club (...) The difficulties experienced this season cannot hide this very positive assessment and all the qualities of Pierre-Henry, who lives rugby with passion and of whom I have appreciated the ethics, the righteousness and the total commitment", also welcomed the manager.

"Short Memory"

Castres was already struggling to stay in the Top 14 when Broncan was promoted to head coach in December 2020 in place of Argentinian Mauricio Reggiardo.

Son of the "Gers wizard" Henry Broncan, the new manager, who had previously worked in Toulouse and Bath, England, had then recovered the CO in spectacular fashion, failing by no means a few months later to qualify him for the phase final.

The following season (2021/22), under his leadership, the Castres had for the first time in their history finished top of the regular phase last season, before dismissing Toulouse (24-18) in the semi-finals and losing to Montpellier (29-10) on the last step at the Stade de France.

But this season, despite a similar framework, the results no longer followed.

And the speech of Broncan, a rugby bulimic renowned for his requirement and his outspokenness, obviously no longer passed with the group.

Abscesses were burst at the start of last week during an internship on the shores of the Mediterranean, but an electroshock was essential for President Revol while a hearty program awaits the Tarn club in the coming weeks (trip to Bayonne , receptions in Lyon and Toulouse).

Irish coach Jeremy Davidson on March 5, 2022 in La Rochelle © XAVIER LEOTY / AFP/Archives

It will now be under the orders of Jeremy Davidson.

Already passed through Castres as a player (1998-2001) and forwards coach (2007-2009), the former Irish international second line has signed up until 2025.

Broncan is the fourth Top 14 coach to be dismissed this season after Christophe Urios (Bordeaux-Bègles), Davidson (Brive) and Jono Gibbes (Clermont).

"My deepest respect for Pierre-Henry Broncan", reacted on Twitter Yannick Bru, future successor to Urios at UBB.

"29 matches without defeat at home, finalist in June 2022, landed in February 2023... Rugby has a short memory."

© 2023 AFP