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Ex-Lions No8 leads mixed reaction on social media to Bastareaud's positional change
There has been a mixed reaction on social media to the revelation that Mathieu Bastareaud will attempt to play at No8 next season for his new club Lyon.
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The former Toulon and France centre is set to join the Top 14 club as a medical joker during the World Cup before his loan move to Rugby United New York in 2020.
However, the change of scenery is the least of his worries as he attempts a daring transition into a new position.
This is an idea that has been flirted with in the past. Former France international Thomas Castaignède suggested Bastareaud make the change earlier this year in order to prolong his international career, saying that the 30-year-old is now too old to play in the centre.
Bastareaud has since retired from international rugby after failing to make the World Cup training squad but has obviously taken the advice on board.
Bastareaud will be changing position at new club Lyon https://t.co/wi60smvlbj
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 18, 2019
A move like this is unprecedented in modern rugby, particularly for a player so late in their career and playing at the highest level. Younger players in the past have made similar positional switches, but not after they have earned 54 caps for their country.
Former British and Irish Lions No8 Jamie Heaslip has said on Twitter that Bastareaud moving position is a “dangerous thought”, while there has also been a positive reaction on Instagram as well.
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One fan said that this transition “should have been done 10 years ago”. Standing at 20 stone, many have felt that the Frenchman is better suited to the pack.
Dangerous thought
— jamie heaslip (@jamieheaslip) July 18, 2019
Mathieu Bastareaud potentially training to play 8 during his short loan spell at @LeLOURugby
I love the idea of players being able to switch between forwards and backs. Proper “Total Rugby” mindset!— ARP (@renn_arp) July 18, 2019
Always thought of Bastareaud as an 8! https://t.co/EBtpHgY6YL
— Caz (@Cazzzzz95) July 18, 2019
However, a move like this will inevitably have its critics. One fan said on Instagram that “I doubt he’ll have the fitness and mobility to be effective at the breakdown and set-piece”.
That is understandable as there is more to playing in the back row than simply being big. But Bastareaud’s work at the breakdown has always been underestimated, as his solid physique makes him hard to shift when he is over the ball.
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There will be greater demand for him to carry and tackle in the forwards, and it is unseen whether he will have the stamina to do so.
This is one thing that the rugby world will curiously wait to see unfold, as it will be fascinating to see if a player could make this kind of transition.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Yes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
34 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
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