News
Ibañez buzzing with new role
August 05 2008
French rugby giant Raphaël Ibañez has labelled the Wasps captaincy as one of his biggest career challenges.
Ibañez will take over the leadership reins from Lawrence Dallaglio next season.
England World Cup winner Dallaglio retired in May after Wasps beat Leicester to be crowned Guinness Premiership champions.
Ibañez, who won 98 caps and guided France to the 1999 World Cup final, said leading Wasps will be the biggest challenge of his illustrious career.
"The Wasps captaincy is probably one of the biggest challenges of my career so far," he said.
"This season coming is pretty special for Wasps as the Guinness Premiership champions. We will want to keep hold of our silverware and pick up even more honours.
"We have a fantastic squad filled with lots of young and exciting talent, and I am very proud to lead this group of players.
"2008-09 will also be a very special year for our international players, competing for places for the Lions tour of South Africa, which is a goal many of my team-mates can reach.
"My priority will be to make sure everyone delivers for the club first.
"I want us to keep winning, and as the captain it is my job to ensure we stay focused."
Ibañez also paid tribute to Dallaglio, saying his former team-mate and captain was a "legend of the game".
"When (Wasps director of rugby) Ian McGeechan spoke to me about the captaincy, my first thought went to Lawrence Dallaglio," said Ibañez.
"He's a great leader and an absolute legend of this game. Nobody will ever replace him - ever - and for me it has been a great honour to play both alongside him at Wasps and against him in the international arena.
"It is with his support that I take this role. He is a great friend, and he will continue to be even though he will no longer be at the club."
McGeechan said the decision to appoint Ibañez had been a straightforward one.
"What Raf has achieved, his character and the way he operates is first-class, and there is no more deserving a man for the job," said McGeechan.
"With the departure of Lawrence Dallaglio, there are of course some big boots to fill.
"But Raf is one of the most highly-regarded players in the professional game who so easily commands the respect of all those around him.
"2008-09 looks set to be a season of challenge for the Premiership clubs with the introduction of the ELVs (Experimental Law Variations) and the new Rugby Football Union (RFU) agreement which will see us without so many of our key players."
Wasps have nine players in the England elite squad, including captaincy material such as back row forwards James Haskell and Tom Rees, with that 32-strong group set to miss several Premiership games due to international commitments.