Patrick Tuifua, un Néo-Zélandais chez les Bleuets
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.
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.
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.
Comments on RugbyPass
I 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.
1 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?
44 Go to commentsWell said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
4 Go to commentsLet’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
123 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
4 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
6 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
123 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
44 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
6 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
123 Go to commentsThis Outiniqua boy has played sublime rugby and deserves a spot in BI LIONS team. Well played son
4 Go to commentsI don’t like to see players miss big matches but this ban looks to be tailored to allow him to compete in the final. In principle a suspension for a very dangerous tackle in a semi should warrant missing the relevant final. Done now. One the flip side having both teams with very strong squads/teams available for the final will add to the occassion hopefully.
1 Go to commentsTalent to burn and a huge engine..hope he gets a shot at higher honours
2 Go to commentsIf anything like his dad he has a bright future, Soane was the best ball carrying props ive ever seen using a combination of pace power and footwork.
1 Go to commentsThose who saw Sharks vs Clermont and Ox N'Che vs Rabah Slimani should have a good idea of the best scrumagers… May be not the best props…
2 Go to commentsIt's been an unusual era of unpopular, highly competitive, domineering, fairly big fly halves in the home nations with Farrell, Sexton and Biggar. Russell is different in personality and player I think. I'd rank Sexton first of the three because he is just as good a game controller but also has a great passing game. And his competitiveness never seems to cause problems with refs.
44 Go to commentsThank goodness he wasn't born in Scotland, he'd have been a great candidate for the Scottish Barbarians. I wouldn't put it past them to push for a “where the player was conceived” rule 😂
2 Go to comments