James Kent during his time at Monaco 7s. / © Fédération Luxembourgeoise de Rugby
In the run-up to two massive home games against Sweden and Poland, newly appointed Luxembourg national rugby coach, James Kent, sits down to discuss the state of rugby in the country.
In the last month, Luxembourg rugby has undergone a major transformation, with a new coaching staff bringing not only experience but also an exciting new beginning. At the helm is James Kent, the most decorated coach the Luxembourg team has had to date, with experience coaching at the highest level with the French Men’s national team, the Canadian national set-up, Stade Français, and Monaco 7s – having also enjoyed a professional playing career in his earlier years.
Kent’s introduction to the team could not have been more challenging – three crucial games against tough opposition in Czechia, Sweden, and Poland, all with limited preparation time. The first match ended in a 40-16 defeat to the Czechs, but Kent remains focused on the long-term project:
“We have to focus on process rather than outcome, focus on the training sessions that we have together, the time that we have together, to be able to accomplish something from it and not be too worried about the result or the game. If we get too caught up on that, we will miss all our opportunities to train and improve in the sessions beforehand.”
Against the odds, Luxembourg enters these upcoming fixtures as determined underdogs, facing teams with more powerful forwards and greater experience at this level. However, they don’t see themselves as underdogs in the traditional sense – instead, viewing the challenge as an opportunity to prove their worth. As Kent puts it, “it’s the tag that comes with it when you move up a division, because it’s up to you to prove that you belong there. So, if you’re labelled that, then it’s up to you to embrace it. It’s probably not a bad label to have, and a term that some of the boys will enjoy.”
Alongside Kent, Scott Browne and François Simon – arguably two of the best players to have ever worn the red lion – take charge of the attack and set-piece, respectively. Both have played at the professional level and will help implement the fast, expansive style of rugby that Luxembourg is known for. Browne was a maestro at fly-half, while Simon brought elegance with his offload game, alongside a level of determination few could rival in the back row.
As a trio, they are in good stead to help Luxembourg solidify their place in the Rugby Trophy division, Europe’s third-highest tier, in the long-run. However, with limited time, Kent emphasises it’s not about reinventing the wheel. “There’s not many changes that can be made in terms of system and structure. It’s more about simplicity. It’s about game and tactical understanding, knowing your role, and knowing what you need to do to benefit the team. I think if there is clarity and alignment on that, then that’s already a foot in the right direction.”
Having coached at the highest level, Kent believes his experience working with a tier-one nation (France), a tier-two nation (Canada), and now a tier-three nation (Luxembourg) will be key in helping players prepare in the best way possible. He emphasises that setting realistic targets is essential for success. When asked about the differences between these levels of performance, Kent highlighted two key factors: ball-in-play time and the speed of the game. However, when it comes down to it, “it’s still big men running into other big men.”
The Luxembourg side is fully amateur, with players balancing jobs outside of rugby. This means the difference between an athlete who can dedicate their life to maintaining intensity for a full 80 minutes and someone who trains twice a week with a game on weekends is significant. That said, the players who represent the national team are deeply committed, training their bodies to the utmost in order to compete at this level, which Kent alluded to: “We have some very talented players, strong runners of the ball, elusive, intelligent players. It’s about bringing those together and the guys who play in different systems in different clubs and trying to get them on the same page, as quickly as possible. So together, they can form something strong and they can rely on the strength of the collective as opposed to their individual strengths.”
When questioned on what aspects of his career with the elite would aid him in his new role, resilience was the term that sprung out. "You don't always get the results that you want and there will be times where you go through some losses. At the elite level you're training day in day out, it can be tough and draining, that's why you build a certain level of resilience to it. It enables you to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, then zoom back in and see where we went wrong." He also stressed that relationships with players was a facet that is imperative to success, in terms of understanding the motivations of players. Rugby is a sport that is played with a large squad and the amount of different personalities within can often cause challenges, hence his personable approach will be beneficial for all.
A further admirable quality that the Franco-Australian has in his armour is his willingness to look at other sports and try to gauge what takeaways he can gain from other minds in the field. He mentioned the close relationship he has with Ken Diedrich, the Luxembourg Basketball coach, and that he had been in camp with them before their game against Romania, trying to get insights into how other sports function. It’s these little aspects that differentiate him to other coaches, alongside his wealth of experience and calm demeanour. James Kent undoubtedly feels like the right man for the job.
Luxembourg face Sweden this Saturday, 29 March, at the Stade de Luxembourg – tickets for the game are still available and it is a great day out for all the family. Then, a week later on 5 April, they will take on Poland also at the Stade. Tickets can be found here, so get yourselves down for a good level of rugby and the start of an exciting period for the Luxembourg national team.
