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Recalled Teddy Thomas' shocking revelation about his RWC omission
By Online Editors
Recalled France winger Teddy Thomas has revealed he was never told by Jacques Brunel why he was left out of the French squad for the recent World Cup in Japan.
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The Racing 92 winger was omitted from the squad selected last summer, but there was never any call from Brunel or his staff to explain their reasoning.
Instead, he was left to absorb the disappointment without any feedback but he is now back in the mix under Brunel’s successor Fabien Galthie and is set to start against England this Sunday at the Stade de France.
“No, I had no feedback from the staff,” Thomas told Midi Olympique when asked had he been given a reason why he wasn’t chosen for the finals in Japan. “But I understand. There were guys much better than me.
“I had a hard time having the slightest explanation. I naively thought I was part of an adventure, a project, and that was obviously not the case.
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“The first day of the announcement, I was really affected. I thought I was going. I had a rather favourable feeling, so I went down to Biarritz to share this moment with my family, with my mother and my grandfather.
“I had a lot of feedback that made me believe it, but I shouldn’t have listened to people. I should have waited, with fear in my stomach. It would have saved me a lot of disillusionment. The early days were really difficult.”
Now restored to the French side, Thomas explained the steps he took to help him bounce back from the massive disappointment.
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“I used a physical trainer. He was with me in Biarritz. He made me understand that there were other objectives, including returning to the club in July. It did me good. I was able to turn the page and move on.”
The hard work paid off and the 26-year-old is now set to earn his 17th cap and his first since November 2018’s defeat to Fiji in Paris.
“I was on the training ground the day Raphael Ibanez called me to let me know that I was picked. I listened to his message, it was cool. True happiness.”
WATCH: The Rugby Pod sets the scene ahead of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations and reflects on yet more Saracens fallout
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What he is saying is true. Why the Fiji is so strong at sevens, and the way to beat them is to get into extra time. They run out of gas. But of his SSI loaded team isn't two scores ahead with fifteen minutes to play they could be in trouble. Also rush defence and resolute tackling stops even the biggest in their tracks. One of the greatest attacking wings ever Jono Lomu never scored against South Africa in four or five tests. Secondly the big islanders are great going forward but not to good turning round as when tiny Breyten Paulse beat Lomu one on one all ends up by chipping over his head running round him collecting and scoring under the posts. As we say in Africa: "Bring on the heat."
Go to commentsI suggest for an injection of rugby enthusiasm watch URC and Heineken Cup. Last night's game between campions Stormers and 15 on the trot unbeaten Leinster ended in a thrilling the draw in the worst possible rugby conditions producing seven tries, outstanding defence, and some really exciting running by both sides. Huge physicality, great set piece contests (virtually every lineout was contested), great maul, running, intercept and kick chase tries and just about everything one could want. One side 22 points adrift after 35 minutes only to go five up with ten to play putting on 27 unanswered points and then in the death an absolutely magic try levelling the score with an impossible kick in high wind being snatched away at the last second. all in front of a full house stadium and over half a million TV viewers. Now that is the game played in heaven - rugby.
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