Fabien Galthié is first of all a career, a trophy cabinet as a player at Colomiers then Stade Français, with France, and then as a club coach at Stade Français and Montpellier. World player of the year, that says it all.

When you ask ChatGPT for a “sensitive portrait” of the man, it comes back (among other things) with: “He isn’t trying to please. He is trying to convince through meaning, (…) he carries a share of silent vulnerability: that of someone who has known being cast aside, doubt, detours.”

The permanent miracle: Murphy’s laws put away in a cupboard

There are Murphy’s laws, and you can add the “Galthié paradox”: not picked by the staff for the 1991 World Cup, left out by Berbizier for 1995 and by Skréla-Villepreux in 1999, he nevertheless went on to play in all three editions! Unbreakable, “unplaceable”.

When did happiness come? In the 2022/2003 season. The man who was one of the first players ever transferred in the young French professional game was to experience it all: a Grand Slam in 2002, world player of the year, French champion with Paris (scoring a try, no less) in the last club match of his career. The 2003 World Cup, a masterclass against Ireland in the quarter-finals, defeat in the rain to the England of Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson and Clive Woodward… “It was good, it was good…”, the last words of Galthié the player.

​​The “lovably infuriating” intellectual

He trains himself, informs himself, does a stint at Capgemini and elsewhere, the intellect largely takes over. Trained, a trainer, never standardised, a consultant for media and institutions, but the field is always there: coach of Stade Français (French champions in 2007), of Montpellier (runners-up in 2011), consultant in between times for Argentina with wins over England and France; the technician is recognised.

Capable of sharing a Chesterfield at the hotel in Gloucester four hours before a match, smiling despite a 14-13 European Cup defeat at Bath, forming quite a double act with the late Éric Béchu, “the kids” would say he is sometimes “lovably infuriating”. Ready to shoot you down but loyal in friendship, razor-sharp yet so warm.

Selecting: a destiny in the mirror

His abilities are not in question, even if his decisions sometimes leave people speechless. Witness the start of the 2026 Six Nations: he does without Penaud and Fickou, and the pitch proves him right with a 36-14 win. The plan came together without a hitch; Hannibal Smith couldn’t have put it better.

Is being a head coach about leaving out or about picking? He was left out so often, only to come back and impose himself in the end, that the question remains open…