• Novès managed just seven wins from 21 matches in two-year spell • Bath fined £60,000 for allowing Faletau to play for Wales in autumn

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Guy Novès has become the first France coach in history to be sacked, after he was replaced by Jacques Brunel.

Novès endured a torrid two-year spell in charge, managing just seven wins from 21 matches forcing the French Federation president, Bernard Laporte, to act.

Autumn internationals: a team-by-team verdict of the tier-one nations | Nick Evans Read more

The former Italy coach Brunel, 63, has been named as his successor, leaving his role with the Top 14 side Bordeaux-Begles to sign a deal until the 2019 World Cup.

The decision comes five weeks before France face Ireland in their Six Nations opener.

Meanwhile Bath have been fined £60,000 for releasing Taulupe Faletau for Wales’s autumn international match with South Africa.

Wales’s fourth autumn Test fell outside World Rugby’s official release window, but Bath allowed Faletau to play in the 24-22 victory in Cardiff on 2 December.

Bath admitted breaching Premiership Rugby regulations, and an initial £90,000 fine was reduced by £30,000. Premiership Rugby defended its policy of enforcing sanctions for clubs flouting the rulings, in confirming Bath’s acceptance of punishment.

“This board policy has been an essential one, especially as there has been an increasing number of international matches being organised outside the specified international weeks,” a Premiership Rugby spokesman said. “The agreed policy is well known to clubs, players and unions.”

Bath are the second Premiership club to have fallen foul of releasing players outside of World Rugby’s agreed autumn Test window after Northampton were sanctioned in 2013 for releasing George North to Wales.