A prop on the move, nothing very special about that, you might say. Except when the man in question is a pillar of the bar in La Baule (it is his job, bartender at Charlie’s Corner), who had already gone off for a spell in Dublin last winter and did it all over again at the end of December, heading for the south of New Zealand’s South Island: Wanaka, not far from Queenstown. He pulled on the boots a few days ago, and quite a discovery it was.

“The standard is really consistent”

On the pitch, the picture is clear: local rugby does not do delicate. “The technical and physical standard is really consistent, maybe the level of a strong Fédérale 3 or 2. A lot of young players, the language barrier doesn’t make things easier but I don’t feel out of my depth, now it’s just a case of getting to work.”

High tackles and fluidity: the culture shock

And the work seemed to bear fruit quickly. “As far as I’m concerned, the first match went very well. A friendly, so an extended squad and a lot of changes, but I was still part of the starting XV and I got to play the first 20 and the last 20 minutes.” A first experience rich in lessons about the specifics of Kiwi rugby: “A way of playing that is sometimes unsettling, especially the tackle heights, which are far higher than back home. Here you can tackle at the chest, even at the shoulder. I got the impression the referee was trying to keep the game flowing, I didn’t find the whistle excessive, which brought a lot of movement and tempo, and a win!”

The first half of the season in his sights

For a first run-out, the verdict is therefore largely positive. “It was pretty enjoyable for a first match, even if it is only a friendly. The hardest part is still to come, but I can’t wait to discover the heart of the championship. I’ve received the fixture list and in principle I should be able to take part in the whole of the first half of the season.”