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Ils viennent de l’UBB, de Toulon, Montpellier, Perpignan, Oyonnax, Clermont, Provence Rugby, du Racing 92, du LOU, de Colomiers, de Pau, Castres, La Rochelle, Brive, du Stade Français, de Vannes ou de Bayonne.
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Mais dans cette liste de 34 noms de jeunes joueurs convoqués pour préparer le Tournoi des Six Nations des U20, un seul affiche un club situé bien loin de l’hexagone, en Nouvelle-Zélande, Hawke’s Bay Magpies. Son nom ? Patrick Tuifua. Mais qui est-il ?
Né en Nouvelle-Calédonie il y a 19 ans, le 25 août 2004, le troisième-ligne mesure aujourd’hui 1m91 pour 113 kg. C’est à 8 ans qu’il s’initie au rugby au sein de la JSL Normandie Rugby, un club de rugby de Nouméa dont le père, Jean-Philippe, est aujourd’hui le président.
Formé sur le territoire français – au même titre que le Wallisien Brent Liufau, deuxième ou troisième-ligne de la Section Paloise, champion du monde avec les U20 en 2023 avec qui il a grandi – Patrick Tuifua a très vite consacré sa vie au rugby.
C’est en 2020 que lui est offerte une opportunité rare. Il décroche une bourse d’étude pour le Lindisfarne College, à Hastings, dans la région de Hawke’s Bay, au centre-est de l’île du Nord en Nouvelle-Zélande.
Alors qu’il n’avait que 15 ans, il prend la décision de s’engager en « 10 secondes », comme il le confiera à nos confrères des Nouvelles Calédoniennes.
C’est en Nouvelle-Zélande, le pays du rugby, que Patrick Tuifua s’est donc formé jusqu’à être intégré dans l’équipe fanion de Hawke’s Bay pour la saison 2023 du NPC, le National Provincial Championship, le Championnat National des Provinces.
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Il y a disputé la moitié des rencontres (trois victoires, deux défaites) et a été titulaire une fois. Hawke’s Bay a fini 5e. Un an auparavant, il était le seul de son université à intégrer l’équipe des U18 des Hurricanes pour un stage de préparation au Super Rugby U18 à Hastings.
Une dynastie de rugby
Il faut dire que même à l’âge de 15 ans, le numéro huit n’allait pas en Nouvelle-Zélande en terrain totalement inconnu puisque son oncle, Laurent Simutoga (36 ans aujourd’hui), ancien pilier gauche du Stade Français (2007-2009) puis de La Rochelle (2009-2011), est passé lui aussi par Hawke’s Bay (2012).
Laurent est entré dans l’histoire en devenant le premier joueur de rugby de Nouvelle-Calédonie à être sélectionné dans une équipe de France (c’était les moins de 21 ans à l’époque) en janvier 2007.
Lui aussi est passé par le Lindisfarne College (2005-2006) et était le premier néo-calédonien à ouvrir la voie en inaugurant cette filière à trois heures d’avion de Nouméa.
Pour l’anecdote, Nouméa, c’est là aussi que Matthieu Jalibert a commencé à jouer au rugby, à l’âge de six ans, en 2004. Son militaire de père était alors affecté sur le Cailllou.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Sam Cane is a superstar, someone New Zealand should be proud of. How unfair to always compare him to Richie, like saying Mother Theresa is ok, but she's no Jesus. Let's not forget, Sam started in 2012 around the time Richie was probably starting to think, this will be my last world cup cycle if you think he didn't have a big say in who the backup 7 would be and who was best to take over from him after 2015 then you don't understand how clever and forward thinking the man was. Sam Cane was Richie's choice, as apprentice and replacement. Not many people can say they are a better judg Anyone who understands rugby knows the loosies are a trio picked to complement each other, not 3 guys who score trys and make line breaks. No doubt Sam would love to be doing what Ardie does, that's not what was required of him. He had to hit rucks hard , force turnovers and tackle like an animal On defence, that's what he did.
6 Go to commentsThis article overlooks how the 9 position has developed to be a playmaker, which these 2 are both excellent at. Defences are so good now there is not the luxury of going 9 -> 10 on every play. Playing “off 9” as they say, has become very commonplace these days, but 10+ years ago you hardly saw this. Boiling the great modern 9s down to box kicking doesn’t do justice to how good the great ones have become. Dupont would be the first choice 10 in most teams in the world, JGP pops up in places you would never expect a 9 to be.
19 Go to commentsThe banning of the croc roll will make carrying the ball into contact far more risky, leading to more kicking, and the change to the Dupont law will mean forwards have to do far more running than they do now. As a result I think there will be a rise of smaller, more mobile forwards who are strong defenders and strong over the ball like Kirifi.
3 Go to commentsWhat does the ownership of the club have to do with the poor performance of the team. It’s not as if he’s coaching them or in any way influencing the composition of the teams. I honestly don’t understand the comment.
1 Go to commentsHe knows his body is not up to the work load of international rugby. The fact that Cane only played only 27 of the 46 games the ABs played while he was officially captain is a telling statistic. And that excludes the time he had out with neck injury. He was never able to put a long enough body of work together to get back to his best without a new injury setting him back. He knows better than anyone that the problem will get worse, not better, given the same workload. Correct decision and good luck to him.
6 Go to commentsWith three clubs it's surely death by oligopoly!😂 I'll have a read later and get back to you.
107 Go to commentsNice article
32 Go to commentsSurely they aren’t that short of 10s in the northern hemisphere?
1 Go to commentsBest wishes to a true warrior who gave everything for his team and country. He was no McCaw but the closest we've had in recent years in terms putting his head into dark places, leading the defensive line and securing the attacking breakdown - the core roles of a modern open side. If only he could have played more tests under Foster and Plumtree with blindsides who fulfilled their core roles. 2027 was always going to be a long shot. Hopefully Papalii fulfils the promise of 2021 and late 2022 and/or Lakai turns out to be as good as he looks.
6 Go to commentsFair play to him. A lot of exciting talent coming up in the loose forward position, can’t wait to see the next generation.
6 Go to commentsSam wants to focus on his family and learning how to tackle legally…what’s Japanese for ‘bend at the waist’?
6 Go to commentsNice story
1 Go to commentsThere's a log jam at the moment of quality number sevens competing for an All Black jersey. I think Du Plessis Kirifi is certainly one of them and has now developed an accurate sharp and energetic game as compared to when he was first picked. Would love to see Billy Harmon get first dibs at the jersey (been outstanding in a struggling side for a few seasons now), as I believe we've seen enough of Papali'i to understand what he brings to the role. Lakai is young and will get his shot. Du Plessis would be a bolt off the bench but his lack of versatility may hinder his chances.
3 Go to commentsGood Luck Sam, enjoy Japan.
6 Go to commentsWhen Sth Africa had Joost and Honiball at 9 and 10 they were almost impenetrable in and around the ruck. Even Jonah couldn't make headway in those channels so they were very hard to get in behind. They had a fantastic side who played a fast, rugged style which won them the Tri Nations during that period. That side would beat their current mob of which I have no doubt.
2 Go to commentsAwesome win by the NZ U20s. They were excellent in the 2nd half with some very patient and accurate phase play, a dominant scrum and decent lineout. Simpson controlled things very well at 10 and it was amazing to see the team maintain their composure and score points when he was in the sin bin for a very harsh yellow card.
2 Go to commentscome on Toulouse
1 Go to commentsNot unless the cartels get interested in rugby like they did w football
1 Go to commentsYes Dobbo, you were absolute crap. Start respecting the ball and possession. If you played rugby instead of basketball against the Ospreys, you would have been n the top two now, not fifth! If you attractively and entertainingly throw the ball around for 80 minutes and lose, WE DON’T FKN ENJOY IT!
1 Go to commentsWe need a system of transfer fees. A club shouldn’t just get to sign Will Harrison when he’s been funded in NSW his entire rugby life because they have more money.
107 Go to comments