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Le nouveau challenge de Sam Whitelock à Pau
Le deuxième ligne néo-zélandais Sam Whitelock a déclaré qu’il espérait trouver un côté positif à la défaite en finale de la Coupe du monde le mois dernier, après son arrivée à Pau, dans le Top 14, pour un contrat de deux ans.
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Whitelock a joué le dernier de ses 153 tests-matchs, un record pour les All Blacks, lors de la défaite d’un point (11-12) contre l’Afrique du Sud en finale de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby le 28 octobre.
Il a échoué à devenir le premier joueur à remporter le tournoi à trois reprises, après avoir décroché le Trophée Webb Ellis en 2011 et 2015.
« Je ne pense pas qu’un joueur qui passe si près du but ne s’en remette jamais, mais il faut apprendre qu’on ne peut pas changer le cours de l’histoire », a regretté Whitelock face aux journalistes lors de sa présentation à Pau.
« J’espère que je pourrai prendre ce que j’ai vécu et le mettre à profit à certains moments », a ajouté l’ancien deuxième-ligne des Crusaders.
Le choix de la France pour raisons personnelles
Comme c’est souvent le cas après une Coupe du monde, un grand nombre de joueurs des All Blacks ont choisi de quitter la Nouvelle-Zélande pour signer des contrats rémunérateurs à l’étranger.
La majorité d’entre eux, notamment le capitaine Sam Cane, le Joueur World Rugby de l’Année Ardie Savea et les ouvreurs Aaron Smith et Richie Mo’unga, ont signé des contrats au Japon.
Seuls Whitelock, 35 ans, l’ailier Leicester Fainga’anuku et le pilier Nepo Laulala ont accepté de rejoindre la France et sa saison éreintante qui court sur dix mois.
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« C’est un autre mode de vie que de venir en France », a expliqué le barbu Whitelock, qui a déménagé avec sa femme et ses trois enfants.
« Nous sommes passés d’un hiver à l’autre, nous allons essayer de nous réfugier au chaud à un moment ou à un autre. J’ai hâte de vivre des expériences différentes », a ajouté l’ancien deuxième-ligne des Panasonic Wild Knights.
En France, Whitelock aura pour capitaine son frère et ancien All Black (7 sélections entre 2013 et 2018) Luke Whitelock, qui fêtera ses 33 ans en janvier et qui est à Pau depuis 2019.
« Mon petit frère Luke a semé des graines, a fait des allusions, depuis trois ou quatre ans », a confié Sam Whitelock.
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« Les membres de la famille se demandaient si j’allais l’écouter s’il me disait ce que je devais faire. Nous devrons attendre pour voir si c’est vrai… »
L’aîné Whitelock rejoint une équipe de Pau qui survole le Top 14 à la deuxième place, après avoir été concernée par la relégation depuis sa plus récente promotion en 2016.
Le dernier titre de champion de France de la Section paloise remonte à 1964. Il y a presque soixante ans.
Avec Sébastien Piqueronies comme manager, Whitelock ne devrait pas faire ses débuts avant au moins le match de Challenge Cup du 16 décembre contre les Dragons gallois.
« Le club se porte très bien, ce qui ne fait qu’augmenter la pression », a confié Whitelock, du haut de ses 2,02 m.
« Je dois venir ici et être performant. Il faut que je participe à la dynamique qui s’est enclenchée. »
Comments on RugbyPass
I still see nothing in Sotutus play that hes changed his upright running style that failed so many times against decent international defences like the french. Other than that… Iose? Well you have covered his limitations well. If Sititi had been playing the the season… Jacobson? Grace?…Neither shout pick me. So Ardie it is.
1 Go to commentsThere isn’t one element you mentioned there that every top class or successful team gets up to. The great All blacks sides used to play on the ‘fringes or edge’ but it was essentially saying they were doing something illegal or borderline to gain dominance. The fine margins at the top are minute between the top sides. La Rochelle, the crusaders, Saracens, Toulon etc etc…..have all been accused. Get over it, the comment comes across as salty and naive. Northampton as well as they played to get back into the match were thoroughly beaten and controlled for 60 minutes and Leinster have only themselves to blame for kicking it away and hence losing control of the match and being nearly the architects of their own downfall.
2 Go to commentsThere is some talent coming thru thats for sure. The 10 looks special to me. Rico Simpson is a name to look for in the future.
1 Go to commentsI think this quiet honestly is just an innocent misunderstanding by someone who is pig sh*t stupid. Eben is a fine player but by christ, if he can’t understand or get what the Irish players were trying to say to him after the match…..well i hope he has someone looking after his finances, career and is reading the fine print for him, cause life after rugby may be quite difficult for the vacuous echo chamber.
27 Go to commentsIt could be Doris' day!
3 Go to commentsThe whole thing has blown up because Eben’s words have clearly struck a nerve in Ireland. Otherwise they would just laugh it off. I think some former Irish players, commentators and some Irish fans know deep down this Ireland team started to believe its own press and that a certain amount of arrogance had started to creep in during the World Cup. The topic was actually brought up by Irish pundits on Off the Ball recently. It’s fine to be arrogant if you can back it up. Ireland didn’t.
27 Go to comments‘The Irish are good people'. Why is Goode praising a people who hate his own? Wet wipe.
27 Go to commentsLa mejor final que se puede ver en el emisferio norte.
1 Go to commentsA lot of cope from south africans in the comments. Etzebeth is a liar and a hypocrite; you don’t have to defend him!
27 Go to commentsHe got big and really slow for a flyhalf…not sure he’s relevant in a bok conversation anymore
4 Go to commentsBest tourney team vs best team in the regular season for 3 games in RSA - talk is cheap, let’s see what’s what on the tour
27 Go to commentsOne overlooked statistic from their 2016 winning season is the Huricanes are still the only team in Super rugby history not to concede a try during the playoff rounds.
4 Go to commentsThanks for the article, Nick. The Nienaber blitz D does ask a lot of its scrumhalf. I have been watching JGP on D and he often looks like he has mastered what Nienaber asks for better than Faf de Klerk and Cobus Reinach! 🤣 Impressive season by JGP if I must make an understatement.
22 Go to commentsOkay last one. I promise. I think it’s despicable for Andy Goode to suggest that Eben can’t count to 12. To be fair he only had to count to 8 - the number of Irishmen who DIDN’T say that. Less the 3 kiwis of course. 23 - 12 - 3 = 8. See Joe. I can do maffs.
27 Go to commentsCheers, Nick! How do you see the Reds’ Jock Campbell’s play this year? Not as strong a carrier as Andrew Kellaway or Tom Wright, but does avoid errors. Do you see Joe Schmidt as wanting safety first at 15 or a try-assisting counterattacker?
91 Go to commentsI’m sure this was all just a big misunderstanding. Irishmen and Afrikaaners conversing in a noisey stadium. Not easy to get the right messages across. A minefield.
27 Go to commentsSay what you will about Andy Goode. But he is right about one thing… I’m not sure what that one thing is exactly… but I’m willing to hear him out.
27 Go to commentsAnother article to bait and trigger Irish fans. This must stop.
27 Go to commentsHi Nick. Thanks for your +++ ongoing analysis. Re Vunivalu, He’s been benched recently and it will be interesting to see what Kiss does with him as we enter the backend of SRP. I’m still not sold.
91 Go to commentsIn the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
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