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Virimi Vakatawa signe à Bristol
Vakatawa, né aux Fidji, avait été contraint de quitter le monde du rugby professionnel en septembre dernier à la suite de la découverte d’un problème médical lié à son cœur.
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Les règles françaises ont empêché Vakatawa de continuer à jouer pour le Racing 92 et il a donc pris sa retraite jusqu’au mois d’août dernier où il a joué pour les Barbarians, entraînés par Pat Lam, le directeur du rugby de Bristol.
Un contrat de 12 mois
Satisfaits de la performance du trois-quarts centre, Lam et Bristol ont alors demandé l’avis d’un collège d’experts composé de cardiologues sportifs de premier plan et, à la suite d’un examen indépendant, Vakatawa a signé un contrat de 12 mois après avoir été autorisé à jouer en Angleterre.
« Je suis très heureux de rejoindre les Bristol Bears et de poursuivre ma carrière de rugbyman au plus haut niveau », a déclaré Vakatawa sur le site officiel du club.
« Après avoir travaillé avec Pat lors de mon passage chez les Barbarians, j’ai su que c’était le bon endroit pour moi et j’ai hâte de jouer devant les fans de Bristol.
« La Premiership a toujours été une compétition passionnante, j’ai donc hâte de la vivre cette saison et de représenter les Bears dans la Champions Cup. »
Un plus pour la Premiership
Vakatawa, 31 ans, a passé plus d’une décennie au Racing avant sa retraite surprise et les a aidés à se qualifier pour la finale de la Champions Cup en 2018 et 2020.
Le directeur du rugby de Bristol, Lam, est emballé à l’idée de voir le trois-quarts centre à Ashton Gate.
« Je suis vraiment heureux de pouvoir amener un joueur de la classe et de la qualité de Virimi à Bristol et à la Gallagher Premiership, car c’est excitant pour notre équipe, nos supporters et notre compétition », a expliqué Pat Lam.
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« J’ai eu le privilège de mieux connaître V sur et en dehors du terrain récemment et il était très clair pour moi qu’il ajouterait une réelle valeur aux Bears et apporterait plus de profondeur et d’expérience à nos lignes arrières.
« Virimi veut absolument revenir au plus haut niveau. Pour les Bears, être en mesure de faire venir un joueur de sa qualité est une décision importante pour la Premiership et nous sommes ravis qu’il ait choisi de poursuivre son parcours rugbystique avec nous. »
Comments on RugbyPass
Just watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
15 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
1 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
2 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Could the victim do a course to reverse the long term CTE damage from the cheapshot?
2 Go to commentsTruely great player. In social media and opinion pieces he was held up and flogged for the results. People wanted someone to crucify, and he was the captain. He was still an immense presence respected by his peers. His battles with Siya Kolisi belong up with with Collins vs Burger in my opinion. Unlucky to be carded in the final, but I don’t agree that his red card was the defining moment. Not when you look at the dominant performances of the Springboks (PSDT in particular.) I think Cane should be remembered for the spirit and physicality that is special to test rugby.
15 Go to commentsSam was the man until he got injured .
15 Go to comments_Crusaders versus Leinster _at the moment might be a rout! But I would like to see the Blues play Toulouse, the Hurricanes front up against Stade Francais, and the Chiefs go against Toulon.
157 Go to commentsLove it when we overlap! Promise it was not forethought.
18 Go to commentsjfc can this guy plz stay out of the news for one week
2 Go to commentsIf stormers aren’t available. Based on form and likely availability at the time of the wales Test, you’d think Masuku would be a no-brainer to start. But starting Jordan also makes sense having Masuku come off the bench to close out the game.
2 Go to commentsGlad Tom Curry not playing needs time to recover such a great player also his brother Ben how well is he playing now .
1 Go to commentsLet’s examine what might be irking the brainless E: Up until 20 years before this coming Julys tests: 16 games: 14 wins for SA; 1 win for Ire; 1 draw From 20 years until July’ tests Ireland V SA: 13 matches Ireland won 8; SA won 4; 1 draw Points scored Ireland 261; SA 189 Ave Winning Margin: Ireland 11 points; SA 4 points (away 3, home 6) Away win record: Ireland 33.33%; SA 25% Neutral matches 1: Ireland win RWC France 2023. Last SA win June 2016 (8 years ago) They boast 3 World cups in that period (they do boast). The above record is not good, probably not much better than theirs against NZ for same period. That’s why the dopey E is starting fights in his head. He will probably ship a yellow when things don’t go their way in the first test.
127 Go to commentsGoode is like a wet fart on The Rugby Pod and should be shoved aside. Jim knows what he is on about and can get on better without Goode’s nasty little cheap shots.
127 Go to commentsBrumbies will win, crusaders are pretty awful this year
1 Go to commentsThis has the makings of a good match. That’s Leinster’s second team but its a good one (stronger than the teams in SA recently). Ulster are really turning a page. Ryan back is huge, and Keenan too. This could be a cracker.
1 Go to commentsThe Farrells are one of the great father and son combinations. Andy was an RL great, and had he played Union as his first sport, I would be sure he would have been avery significant forcewas in League. And Owen, a Union great, who had he played League, would could have been a great there too i all probability. I feel my attitude to Owen has mellowed as he has aged, and in the post Jones era, evolved and shown his full range of talents. He really is an all round player, and I have wold hope his move to France will be successful. He may even be the piece in the jigsaw that Racing need to rise to challenge Toulouse and LAR. He is ofc now approaching 33 years of age but should still have enough left to make a big contribution in France for at least2/3 years.
45 Go to commentsI reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
2 Go to commentsHaha did he also* say it in a sarcastic teacher sort of manor or was it the petulant English snob sort of wail?
45 Go to comments