Rouet enjoying less pressure at Saracens despite demanding schedule

Kévin Rouet describes being Saracens' attack coach as 'relaxing' but his schedule may beg to differ.

The Canada head coach is combining his international duties with a stint supporting Alex Austerberry in the PWR.

Saracens boss Austerberry served under Rouet at the Rugby World Cup, where the Maple Leafs reached the final, but a role reversal does not equal less work for the Frenchman.

“I think it is more relaxing for me, we have a good partnership,” the 39-year-old said. “He enjoyed being my assistant with less pressure, and I enjoy being his assistant with less pressure for me. I think it is a good and fun partnership.

“Coaching with Alex was an easy place for me to come because he knows how I coach, and it was easy for me to jump in, and we didn’t have to work out how to work with each other.

“I have a good translator with Alex to be able to incorporate our styles of working.

“I am very good at compartmentalising, so when I am with Canada, I have my Canada hat, when I am with Sarries, I am just more on the weekly grind.

“That is why I wanted to come here, with international rugby, you sometimes feel isolated, you don’t have weekly games.

“I wanted to really enjoy this part. In the PWR, you win a game, you lose a game, you have another game next week, that is what I was missing. It is refreshing to me, and access to players on a daily basis is also fun.”

Since joining in December, Rouet has helped the three-time champions to four wins in a row while they also lead the points-scoring charts.

After this weekend’s fixture with Exeter Chiefs, which will see him come up against his Canada captain Alex Tessier, Rouet will embark on a rest week like no other.

He added: “When I have time off, I have to go back to Canada. For example, in January, I had to go back to the office in Canada, then I coached the Sevens in Singapore and Perth, so I left Sarries for five to six weeks.

“Now I am back for two weeks, but during the week off, my life is going to be a little bit crazy.

“Monday to Wednesday, I am doing a camp in England with a couple of Canadian players who are here. Thursday, I am flying to Calgary, in the middle of Canada.

“Then on Friday night, I am flying to Toronto to watch a regional game, then I am flying to the west of Canada on Saturday night. Then I am coming back to London on Monday.

“My main job is still being the head coach of Canada, so I need to watch regional games, so every time I have some time off from Sarries, it is not time off, I have to go back to Canada, I am just doing my job.  

“They allow me to do the Saracens job, because I asked them and said I need it in my life, but I have a job. So, I can’t see my family in France, they are mad at me, but being in England doesn’t change things much.”

There’s a word that consistently comes up with Rouet – fun.

Whether it be the attack-minded rugby on the pitch or the competitive card games off it, he is well-liked by his Canada charges to the extent they have even changed his Wikipedia entry, praising his coaching while being less complimentary about his abilities at cards.

He added: “I’m too strong for them at spikeball and at cards, so they tried to change the scenery!

“I am a very competitive person. I can’t play rugby anymore so I try to beat them at another aspect of what we do, and spikeball is very important in Canada. We don’t laugh at that, it is very competitive, too much sometimes.

“My concern is if you don’t create a fun environment and an enjoyable environment with Canada, the girls are going to stop playing rugby.

“They are educated players who come through the university system. If they stopped playing rugby, they would earn a lot of money, but they decide to keep playing rugby because they love it, not because they earn a lot of money.

“This is the balance we have to find, which is pushing them, but also recognising the fun they can have.”