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France centre Virimi Vakatawa banned from playing in France

(Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)

Racing 92 have announced that Test centre Virimi Vakatawa has been banned from playing rugby in France. The Parisian club confirmed the end of the 30-year-old’s lengthy playing career in France after he was banned by the LNR’s medical committee, but a specific reason for the ban wasn’t revealed.

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The club statement on Monday read: “Racing 92 has just been informed of the decision of the LNR’s medical committee to ban Virimi Vakatawa from continuing his professional career as a rugby player in France.

“Particularly saddened by this terrible announcement, Racing 92 gives its full support to Virimi Vakatawa and immediately put in place all the arrangements to support its emblematic player as best as possible in these particularly difficult times.”

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The New Zealand-born France international, who holds Fijian citizenship, earned the last two of his 32 caps this summer against Japan, starting at outside centre in both victories. That marked his return to the Test stage after over a year out due to injury.

While it looks as though Vakatawa is banned from playing in France for the time being, the statement suggested that he isn’t barred from playing elsewhere.

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The same thing happened to France hooker Christopher Tolofua, who was banned five years ago from representing his country due to a spinal problem while still being able to play for Saracens. However, the ban was lifted after surgery, resulting in him moving to Toulon.

Vakatawa, the powerful centre. was missing from the Racing squad for their opening match of the Top 14 season on Saturday against Castres, which his side won 25-19. A press conference on Tuesday is expected to provide more details on this shock announcement and what the future holds for Vakatawa.

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EllenMoody 4 hours ago
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JWH 5 hours ago
'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Do you hear yourself? Do you have any concept of world view? Have you tried looking into why people call Ireland ‘arrogant’? Obviously not.


We started calling you arrogant when you called our captain a ‘shit Richie McCaw’. In New Zealand. On our turf. Don’t think that kind of behaviour really calls for respect, does it.


NZ don’t really talk ourselves up, if anything the rugby does it for us. No kiwi goes in the media and says: ‘We are gonna win the RWC’. However, I have found many instance of IRISH media saying that the Irish should win, without a doubt. THAT is disrespectful.


The All Blacks have played good rugby, even some of the best rugby ever, at many points in history, but I don’t think you could find a single instance of one of those players, or the NZ media, saying that they should whitewash their opponents. Ever.


Now, onto your analysis. Ireland DID choke the QF. They beat the champions, they were ranked first coming into it, a lot of players at the peaks of their powers. Its hard to say that they didn’t choke. Obviously, their preparation was just not as good as NZ, and thats all there really is to it.


If Ireland had repsected that ABs team and that QF more, maybe they would’ve prepared properly for it and won. But they didn’t.


Maybe if Ireland had won their QF last RWC, they wouldn’t have to be in the same pool as SA and Scotland. I mean, its called a draw for a reason. NZ got third last RWC, so of course they should get a reasonable pool, and they were ranked pretty highly too. If you want to talk about easy pools, look no further than Pool 3 with England, Australia, Fiji, and Georgia I think?


Now, obviously you don’t remember how that QF ended, so I’ll go ahead and rectify that. Ireland reclaimed the ball off kickoff and marched for 20ish phases into the opposition half. Savea then won a turnover, but the referee refused to give it, so play went on. Finally, at the NZ 22, after not giving up a single penatly in 25 phases of hard defense, Sam Whitelock, the most capped All Black of all time, wins the game with an incredible steal.


Now, NZ players having a go at Ireland. Do you cry when you get hit after making the first swing? We all know Sexton is a prick on the field, its just the truth. And Ioane never backs down from a clash, so he thought he should humble a player who has never won an international knockout game who thought he was all that. Don’t really see the issue, its poetic justice really.

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