French international Penaud admits to sanction last week by his Clermont boss

Damian Penaud has admitted to being punished by his Clermont coach, Franck Azema. 

The France winger, who started three matches at the recent World Cup, was absent from his club’s teamsheet for last Sunday’s match versus Castres.

On Thursday, he candidly revealed at a media conference that his absence wasn’t due to an injury and was instead the result of a managerial sanction.   

“It was not rest. I had a bad attitude against Toulon and I was punished. I take it and it was part of sport. Now, I don’t want to say more. It remains between Franck and me,” he said in a story reported by the media in France. 

Clermont were thrashed 41-19 at Toulon and Azema was disappointed with the commitment of some players, including Penaud who played that evening in the midfield. 

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“It is important to be at 200 per cent,” he told his club’s website. “Even though he already has a lot of experience at a high level, Damian remains a young player. Throughout his career, he will learn. But the fact that he says it himself proves that he is a competitor.”

Clermont bounced back from the loss at Mayol to defeat Castres 39-22 and they now visit Racing on Saturday in a match between the fifth and seventh-placed sides who have the same amount of points – 30 – from their dozen matches so far this season. 

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