Wesley Fofana beautiful openly proclaim his preference for the center position, it will be the wing that will make its debut with the XV of France Guy Noves dressed Sunday in Scotland player costume “inescapable” . Torn between his natural talent finisher and his creative aspirations, Fofana, aged 28, returns to the wing, where he had helped out some matches between November 2012 and February 2013.
Officially, it did not pose any problem even if there is more evolved since February 9, 2013 and has compiled 32 of his 39 caps in the center of the attack. Find the Blues after missing the start of the tournament due to a rib injury is sufficient to happiness. “It seemed interesting to us to see to the wing” , said Noves. “not of this option is not private and it seems that there are a lot of fun” .
Wesley Fofana flew to score his try against Canada – October 1, 2015 – AFP
Yet the little taste of Fofana for games on the side of the field is a mystery to anyone. “I prefer playing in the center, it will not perhaps be explained (…) I have more space, more opportunities” , he explained in November 2012. Assurant in 2013 he had not “not virus winger” he had clarified its intentions in the following year, believing that the time of “great flights” every game was gone for him.
“Must” according Noves
“I lived a lot in being young, fresh, without asking questions, taking the ball at the earliest opportunity” he told. “At some point, either you stay on this mindset, or you wanted to get away” . His obsession: “creating the game, play a lot, maybe even be a second N.10 Now I take great pleasure in fixing two defenders on a single pass, to free space … . “
Wesley Fofana in Marcoussis in the preparation of the XV of France – August 4, 2015 – icon Sport
Has it fulfilled these objectives? His propensity to play after him is debatable. The question is: has he been impotent rugby increasingly restrictive of Saint-André era, or is it also one of the causes? The fact remains that Fofana was one of the key men of the previous term, strong unshakable confidence coaching, with 39 of 45 possible selections. With 13 trials, he was the most prolific player between 2012 and 2015, while revealing himself as a true defensive compass.
It is also the only one to have floated in the collective sinking of the quarter-final World Cup against the All Blacks (62-13), ripping three times the New Zealand defensive screen, never find up support. All its undeniable convinced Noves to make a pivot of his new team: “Wesley is perhaps THE major player XV de France” , had even dared coach in December .
Wesley Fofana (XV of France) against the All Blacks – October 17, 2015 – Icon Sport
Ntamack: “Maybe not a gift”
A praise perhaps intended to sweeten the pill of its repositioning, a nice option while the wingers in France reservoir dried up by injuries but also by lack of suitors. Entry is then the Clermont faces a major test at Murrayfield. “In this case, it may not be is a gift because it will be in front of the players of the highest level” , notes the old center and winger Emile Ntamack (46 sel).
“He must quickly find pins on one against one, the cover of the kicking game, defensive positioning …” , he recites. “But Wesley largely has the qualities to play on the wing. It comes back very quickly” , reassures there too. A wing or center, the Scotland coach Vern Cotter, which resulted in Clermont Fofana, describes anyway poison. “I wish he does not play” , slice there. “We know that if given a few centimeters, it will pass in between and then to catch, it is very difficult: it has a good racket, there battle in tackles, he rolls … as soon as he advances, everyone follows it. And this is where the France team becomes dangerous “.
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