Eddie O'Sullivan's jaunt to the south of France to take over the fallen giant Biarritz was meant to restore past glories. It was seen as a once well regarded coach proving to the rugby world that he can still get results, and what better place than the fallen two-time Heineken Cup runners-up who won the Challenge Cup as recently as 2012.
Biarritz, who slipped into the Pro D2 in 2014, were expected to be swiftly promoted back to the Top 14, but they couldn't overcome the departures of Imanol Harinorodoquy, Teddy Thomas, Damien Traille and Raphael Lakafia. After finishing two places outside of the playoffs last season, three defeats on the trot to open this season appears to have led to president Nicolas Brusque looking to take the club another direction and that is bad news for the former Ireland coach.
O'Sullivan hasn't travelled with the squad for tonight's game and, with his spell in charge looking to be at an end, his future coaching opportunities can't have gotten the boost he was hoping this position would have given him.
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Picture credit; Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE