Top 14: Montpellier's metamorphosis, their reunion with Stade Français… Bernard Laporte speaks to Le Figaro

Bernard Laporte, the sporting director of MHR (Montpellier Hérault Rugby), reflects on the club's remarkable transformation as they prepare to face Stade Français in the Top 14 semi-finals. Laporte attributes the team's resurgence, which saw them finish as runners-up to Toulouse this season, to the strong leadership of club president Mohed Altrad. "We are lucky to have a great president (Mohed Altrad, French businessman) and I don't think that's said enough. He allows us to experience emotions, to perform at the highest level," Laporte stated. Laporte, who also previously coached the French national team and headed the French Rugby Federation, described the dire situation at Montpellier when he was brought in to help salvage the club in November 2023. The team, which had won the French championship in 2022, was in disarray. "When I arrived here, two and a half years ago, the situation was very complicated. After Cockerill's dismissal (the then-English coach), everything exploded. It was the apocalypse, there were factions everywhere. Players fought during training... It was crazy, it was no longer a team," he recalled. He acknowledged the significant work done by Patrice Collazo and his staff in rebuilding the team from that chaotic state. Laporte's passion for rugby remains evident, his speech quickening as he recounts the journey. The interview, conducted by Le Figaro, delves into the two-and-a-half years of rebuilding and the emotional significance of facing his former club, Stade Français, in the semi-final.

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We are lucky to have a great president (Mohed Altrad, French businessman) and I don't think that's said enough. He allows us to experience emotions, to perform at the highest level.