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Today

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Investec Champions Cup

'This academy kid who couldn't speak French, couldn't speak English, dropped into training and carved everyone up... he made all look like idiots'

By Liam Heagney

17 Oct 2020

(Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)

Jamie Roberts has given a compelling insight into the character of some of his former Racing 92 teammates – including midfield bulwark Virimi Vakatawa – who are set to play in Saturday’s Champions Cup final against Exeter at Bristol.

The veteran Wales midfielder spent two seasons at the Parisian club from 2013 to 2015 and a number of the players he encountered at that time in France are now on the cusp of European glory.

Roberts had a special mention for Vakatawa, the Fijian who is now viewed as one of the world’s best attacking players at the age of 28 with Racing. He has also become a regular France national team player.

Jamie Roberts and Dylan Hartley preview the Champions Cup final on RugbyPass Offload

Speaking on the RugbyPass Offload, Roberts said: “I played there with Johnny Sexton, Mikey Phillips arrived the year after me. He was a good laugh. The French guys? I couldn’t understand what was going on half the time because they all operate in French.

“But you look at someone Teddy Thomas, he is horizontal. Like that guy doesn’t even need to try to look good, if that makes sense.

Match winner 🧨#HeinekenChampionsCup #Racing92 pic.twitter.com/z4JXjCrwFJ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 15, 2020

“I remember Virimi Vakatawa being this academy kid who couldn’t speak French, couldn’t speak English, dropped into training and carved everyone up. The lads said, ‘Who the hell is this guy?’

“We’d be doing backs unit sessions and this guy would be just making us all look like idiots. His footwork and his lines. He was young at the time and here is now, for me one of the world’s best players. It’s brilliant to see how far he has come.

“There is a core of that group still there. Henry Chavancy, club captain, is a cheeky chap. He has been there since he was an academy lad. Juan Imhoff is a bit of a joker but one of the best wingers in world rugby and a fantastic finisher.

“Max Machenaud at No9 who has had to play for his position with Teddy Iribaren who is a wonderful scrum-half as well. They have just added depth. And Camille Chat, Jesus Christ, that guy has probably trebled in size since I last saw him. An absolute menace as a ball carrier and over the ball – and he now plays like a back row.”

'I had it in my head I wanted to coach because I was only 23 and thought I was going to be finishing up with injury'
– Ex-Munster scrum-half @mikeprendergas3 on the adversity that ignited his @ChampionsCup final journey with @racing92
👨‍💻@heagneyl https://t.co/B8pSBnu0LP
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 11, 2020

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Comments on RugbyPass

GrahamVF 9 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

About 500K of those are schoolboys 90% of which will not go on to play club rugby.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 10 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Exactly. Shoo would that it was so easy to develop competitions.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 14 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

SA wealthy? Compared to which countries. The economy is in tatters unemployment is at record low numbers and you think SA has money to spend on rugby development -0 and remember the SARU was technically bankrupt and was only saved by the COVID tour of the B&I Lions. No Sa doesn't have spare cash lying round for rugby development and given the resources SARU is doing just fine.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 18 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

South African domestic rugby is in great shape. Four top tier franchises fed by a series of competitions ranging from national schools competitions through Varsity Cup to Currie Cup and then to top four franchises is a model Australia would do well to follow. SA should never have more than four top domestic teams.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 22 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

That might be the best spin off from SA's involvement north of the line.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 23 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Of course not Nick 😉

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 27 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

We have our own theories about The Sharks. Plumtree is a good coach but he has not done anywhere near the best he could with the talent and money he has at his disposal and it doesn't help to have a marquee director of rugby who has spent by far the majority of his career playing and coaching sevens.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 32 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Don't worry - you'll win again soon then you'll feel a lot better. Right now get on with your SH comps and we'll get on with being barely the best in the world.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 35 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

JW you really have no idea of how Africa works. It will take generations not decades no matter how much SA puts into it. The poverty in Africa is something that is obviously beyond your understanding. Do you think the governments of impoverished nations are going to watch happily as rugby pours massive investments into infrastructure to promote what is essentially a white western game? And SA was trying hard to develop the game in Africa until the African vote blocked our "23 bid after the independent consultants to the RFU voted unanimously for SA? The Confederation of African Rugby virtually excluded South Africa.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 45 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Nick, our association with Argentina Rugby runs very long and deep. We are exploring reciprocal two/three test tours in the future - and even more games at neutral venues such as in Europe where a lot of both teams have players anyway.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 48 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

"has SA actually EVER helped to develop another union to maturity like NZ has with Japan," yes - Argentina. You obviously don't know the history of Argentinian rugby. SA were touring there on long development tours in the 1950's

We continued the Junior Bok tours to the Argentine through to the early 70's

My coach at Grey High was Giepie Wentzel who toured Argentine as a fly half. He told me about how every Argentinian rugby club has pictures of Van Heerden and Danie Craven on prominent display. Yes we have developed a nation far more than NZ has done for Japan. And BTW Sa players were playing and coaching in Japan long before the Kiwis arrived. Fourie du Preez and many others were playing there 15 years ago.

"Isaac Van Heerden's reputation as an innovative coach had spread to Argentina, and he was invited to Buenos Aires to help the Pumas prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965.[1][2] Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour,[2] it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak van Heerden took leave from his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt fluent Spanish, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta.[1][2] Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.[1]"

After the promise made by Junior Springbok manager JF Louw at the end of a 12-game tour to Argentina in 1959 – ‘I will do everything to ensure we invite you to tour our country’ – there were concerns about the strength of Argentinian rugby. South African Rugby Board president Danie Craven sent coach Izak van Heerden to help the Pumas prepare and they repaid the favour by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Which country do you think was instrumental in developing rugby in Argentina which then spun off into the rest of Latin South America? South Africa was touring Argentine in the 50's with their Junior Bok side on three months development tours. And they didn't do it to cultivare players for the Boks. Regarding Africa you are not taking into account that South Africa itself is an emerging nation. The rugby union has prioritised the development of rugby in South African rural communities with outstanding success.

It has taken 15 years to build the participation of rugby both in playing and watching. For South Africa on its own to build a viable international rugby competition in africa will take generations - not decades. New Zealanders seem to resent the fact that SA has doubled the income of the URC since their inclusion. If New Zealand Rugby hadn't insisted on have a disproportionate slice of the pie in Super Rugby, SA might not have fled the coop.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

I think this debate is avoiding the elephant in the room. Money. According to the URC chief executive Martin Anayi, the inclusion of SA teams has doubled the income of the URC. There is no doubt that the SA teams benefit from the URC but so do the other countries' teams. Perhaps it doesn't affect a club like Leinster but the less well off clubs benefit hugely from South African games' TV income. I don't think SA continued inclusion in the URC is a slam dunk. They don't hold all the cards by a long way - but they do have an ace in the hole. The Ace of Diamonds.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

How Wallace Sititi humbly reacted to All Blacks Player of the Year honour