# Jean-Claude Skrela

Jean-Claude Skrela (born 1 October 1949 in Colomiers, Haute-Garonne) is a former coach of the French national rugby union team. His son, David Skrela, is a French rugby union player and his daughter, Gaëlle Skrela, is a professional basketball player.

## Early life

Skrela was born in Colomiers near Toulouse in France. His parents were Polish refugees (his father came from the village Kobiela, his mother from the village Charbinowice). He lost his father when he was 12.

## Playing career

He played for FC Auch and Stade Toulousain and made his debut for France in 1971 against South Africa. He won forty-six caps and won the Five Nations Championship in 1973 (tie victory) and in 1977 (Grand Slam). He also scored the first four-point try in a major Test match on 20 November 1971, when he charged down a kick from Australian fullback Arthur McGill.

## Coaching

In 1983, he joined his team-mate Pierre Villepreux as coach of Stade Toulousain. They won three times the home championship, twice against Toulon (in 1985 and in 1989) and against Agen in 1986.
He was appointed director of rugby at Colomiers in 1994 but left his position to replace Pierre Berbizier as French head coach after the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
He became the first European head coach to win on his first attempt against New Zealand, but he failed to win against South Africa and Australia like his predecessor Pierre Berbizier. France suffered a few defeats against lowest level teams, like Tonga in 1999 or like Italy in 1997 (Italy was making a lot of progress at this stage), but was also able to make great come backs, like against England in 1997 or against New Zealand in their World Cup semi final at Twickenham. He also made a back-to-back Grand Slam in 1997 and 1998. He suffered a lack of results in 1999 before the World Cup.
After Jacques Fouroux, he became the second head coach to lead France to the World Cup Final, but lost to Australia. He resigned as French head coach on 16 November 1999.

## International matches as Head coach

Matches (1995–1999) :
| Matches | Date | Opposition | Venue | Score (Fra.–Opponent) | Competition | Captain |
| 1995 |||||||
| 1 | 14 October | Italy | Estadio Arquitecto Ricardo Etcheverry, Buenos Aires | 34–22 | Latin Cup | Philippe Saint-André |
| 2 | 17 October | Romania | Estadio Monumental José Fierro, Tucumán | 52–8 | Latin Cup | Philippe Saint-André |
| 3 | 21 October | Argentina | Estadio Arquitecto Ricardo Etcheverry, Buenos Aires | 47–20 | Latin Cup | Philippe Saint-André |
| 4 | 11 November | New Zealand | Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse | 22–15 | Autumn internationals | Philippe Saint-André |
| 5 | 18 November | New Zealand | Parc des Princes, Paris | 12–37 | Autumn internationals | Philippe Saint-André |
| 1996 |||||||
| 6 | 20 January | England | Parc des Princes, Paris | 15–12 | 1996 Five Nations | Philippe Saint-André |
| 7 | 3 February | Scotland | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 14–19 | 1996 Five Nations | Philippe Saint-André |
| 8 | 17 February | Ireland | Parc des Princes, Paris | 45–10 | 1996 Five Nations | Philippe Saint-André |
| 9 | 16 March | Wales | Arms Park, Cardiff | 15–16 | 1996 Five Nations | Philippe Saint-André |
| 10 | 20 April | Romania | Stade Jean Alric, Aurillac | 64–12 | Test match | Philippe Saint-André |
| 11 | 22 June | Argentina | Estadio Arquitecto Ricardo Etcheverry, Buenos Aires | 34–27 | 1996 tour | Philippe Saint-André |
| 12 | 29 June | Argentina | Estadio Arquitecto Ricardo Etcheverry, Buenos Aires | 34–15 | 1996 tour | Philippe Saint-André |
| 13 | 25 September | Wales | Arms Park, Cardiff | 40–33 | Test match | Philippe Saint-André |
| 14 | 30 November | South Africa | Parc Lescure, Bordeaux | 12–22 | Autumn internationals | Abdelatif Benazzi |
| 15 | 7 December | South Africa | Parc des Princes, Paris | 12–13 | Autumn internationals | Abdelatif Benazzi |
| 1997 |||||||
| 16 | 18 January | Ireland | Lansdowne Road, Dublin | 32–15 | 1997 Five Nations | Abdelatif Benazzi |
| 17 | 15 February | Wales | Parc des Princes, Paris | 27–22 | 1997 Five Nations | Abdelatif Benazzi |
| 18 | 1 March | England | Twickenham, London | 23–20 | 1997 Five Nations | Abdelatif Benazzi |
| 19 | 15 March | Scotland | Parc des Princes, Paris | 47–20 | 1997 Five Nations | Abdelatif Benazzi |
| 20 | 22 March | Italy | Stade Lesdiguières, Grenoble | 32–40 | 1995-97 European Cup final | Fabien Pelous |
| 21 | 1 June | Romania | Stadionul Dinamo, Bucharest | 51–20 | 1997 tour | Abdelatif Benazzi |
| 22 | 21 June | Australia | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney | 15–29 | 1997 tour | Abdelatif Benazzi |
| 23 | 28 June | Australia | Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane | 19–26 | 1997 tour | Abdelatif Benazzi |
| 24 | 18 October | Italy | Stade Jacques Fouroux, Auch | 30–19 | Latin Cup | Philippe Saint-André |
| 25 | 22 October | Romania | Stade Antoine Béguère, Lourdes | 39–3 | Latin Cup | Philippe Saint-André |
| 26 | 26 October | Argentina | Stade Maurice Trélut, Tarbes | 32–27 | Latin Cup | Philippe Saint-André |
| 27 | 15 November | South Africa | Stade de Gerland, Lyon | 32–36 | Autumn internationals | Philippe Saint-André |
| 28 | 22 November | South Africa | Parc des Princes, Paris | 10–52 | Autumn internationals | Philippe Saint-André |
| 1998 |||||||
| 29 | 7 February | England | Stade de France, Saint-Denis | 24–17 | 1998 Five Nations | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 30 | 21 February | Scotland | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | 51–16 | 1998 Five Nations | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 31 | 7 March | Ireland | Stade de France, Saint-Denis | 18–16 | 1998 Five Nations | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 32 | 5 April | Wales | Wembley Stadium, London | 51–0 | 1998 Five Nations | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 33 | 13 June | Argentina | Estadio José Amalfitani, Buenos Aires | 35–18 | 1998 tour | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 34 | 20 June | Argentina | Estadio José Amalfitani, Buenos Aires | 37–12 | 1998 tour | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 35 | 27 June | Fiji | National Stadium, Suva | 34–9 | 1998 tour | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 36 | 14 November | Argentina | Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes | 34–14 | Autumn internationals | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 37 | 21 November | Australia | Stade de France, Saint-Denis | 21–32 | Autumn internationals | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 1999 |||||||
| 38 | 6 February | Ireland | Lansdowne Road, Dublin | 10–9 | 1999 Five Nations | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 39 | 6 March | Wales | Stade de France, Saint-Denis | 33–34 | 1999 Five Nations | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 40 | 20 March | England | Twickenham, London | 10–21 | 1999 Five Nations | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 41 | 10 April | Scotland | Stade de France, Saint-Denis | 22–36 | 1999 Five Nations | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 42 | 3 June | Romania | Stade Pierre Antoine, Castres | 62–8 | Test match | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 43 | 12 June | Samoa | Apia Park, Apia | 39–22 | 1999 tour | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 44 | 16 June | Tonga | Teufaiva Sport Stadium, Nuku'alofa | 16–20 | 1999 tour | Fabien Galthié |
| 45 | 26 June | New Zealand | Athletic Park, Wellington | 7–54 | 1999 tour | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 46 | 28 August | Wales | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff | 23–34 | 1999 RWC Warm-up | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 47 | 2 October | Canada | Stade de la Méditerranée, Béziers | 33–20 | 1999 Rugby World Cup | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 48 | 8 October | Namibia | Parc Lescure, Bordeaux | 47–13 | 1999 Rugby World Cup | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 49 | 16 October | Fiji | Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse | 28–19 | 1999 Rugby World Cup | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 50 | 24 October | Argentina | Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland | 47–26 | 1999 Rugby World Cup | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 51 | 31 October | New Zealand | Twickenham, London, England | 43–31 | 1999 Rugby World Cup | Raphaël Ibañez |
| 52 | 6 November | Australia | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 12–35 | 1999 Rugby World Cup | Raphaël Ibañez |

### Record by country

| Opponent | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | Win ratio (%) | For | Against |
| Argentina | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 300 | 159 |
| Australia | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 000 | 67 | 122 |
| Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 33 | 20 |
| England | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 075 | 72 | 70 |
| Fiji | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 72 | 28 |
| Ireland | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 105 | 50 |
| Italy | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 067 | 96 | 81 |
| Namibia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 47 | 13 |
| New Zealand | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 050 | 84 | 137 |
| Romania | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 268 | 51 |
| Samoa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 39 | 22 |
| Scotland | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 050 | 134 | 91 |
| South Africa | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 000 | 66 | 123 |
| Tonga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 000 | 16 | 20 |
| Wales | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 050 | 189 | 139 |
| TOTAL | 52 | 34 | 0 | 18 | 065 | 1588 | 1126 |

### Honours

* Five Nations Championship
** Winner 1997, 1998
* Rugby World Cup
** Runner-up 1999
* Latin Cup [es; fr; it]
** Winner 1995, 1997
* Trophée des Bicentenaires
** Runner-up 1997, 1998

## Other honours
### As a player

France
* Five Nations Championship
** Winner 1973, 1977
** Runner-up 1976, 1978
Stade toulousain
* France Rugby Union Championship
** Runner-up 1980
* Challenge Yves du Manoir
** Runner-up 1971

### As a coach

Stade toulousain
* France Rugby Union Championship
** Winner 1985, 1986, 1989
** Runner-up 1991
* Challenge Yves du Manoir
** Winner 1988
** Runner-up 1984