Cruden Can Help Restore The Thrills

Montpellier fans cannot wait to see All Black fly-half Aaron Cruden in their colours this season.

- David Barnes

They see him as the symbol of a renewal designed to attract them back to their stadium.

As they do the return of star forward Louis Picamoles after just one season in the Premiership with Northampton.

No longer will the Montpellier dressing room be dominated by the sounds of South African accents, including those of ultra defensive coach Jake Smith. Almost a third of their squad were from that country last season.

And those supporters who stayed at home rather than endure the trench warfare of recent seasons are expected to come flocking back.

Especially because, in the wake of Smith’s demise, Vern Cotter, the former Clermont boss fresh from transforming Scotland, has promised to take off the shackles.

The outcome of his new reign promises to be one of the most fascinating features of the Top 14 this time around.

And his French players have not been slow in signalling their pleasure in a clear change of direction.

French international Alexandre Dumoulin, for example, says: “As a centre, I am obviously looking forward to having a different style of play.

“Jake relied primarily on defence and told us we had to be good at that before thinking of attacking. What Vern Cotter is telling us is the complete opposite. We all admire what he did with Clermont and Scotland.”

The South African influence did bring Montpellier the European Challenge Cup the season before last.