A little quack before an almost perfect score: this can be the summary of the match of the French third row Charles Ollivon, who was, Saturday, September 21, against Argentina, one of the best players on the ground. And the only downside is in fact his interpretation of La Marseillaise before the meeting, an unfortunate "campaign" instead of "companions" caught on the spot, while the camera was filming passionately singing the national anthem.
It must be said that Charles Ollivon, age 26, probably felt at that moment an emotion even more intense than some of his teammates. This match against the Pumas marked the end of a long fight after several injuries that deprived him of rugby for many months. To the point that some doctors doubted the ability of this very athletic player (1.99 m for about 112 pounds) to continue this discipline. A medical intervention, carried out a year ago, finally allowed him to regain his physical resources and resume training with his club RC Toulon, December 1, 2018.
"It was a special way, I did not complain because there is much more serious, but it was very complicated, it took a lot to get there," he told AFP before the start of the World Cup. "Somewhere in the back of me, I believed in this destiny, to be able to make the World Cup, I think that if I had not had it in me, it would not have been possible, I would have let go. was so complicated that if I did not have that conviction, I could not have done the World Cup. "
The next step was the resumption of the competition on March 23, 2019, in a match against Lyon in the Top 14. Only six months before the start of the competition in Japan, Charles Ollivon finally played rugby and returned to the viewfinder of the coaching of the Blues. Retained among the reserve players chosen to prepare this competition, he demonstrated all his qualities, especially during the two friendly matches played in August by the Blues against the Scots. And he finally managed to integrate the list of 31 players bound for Japan.
"The Basque in all its splendor"
At the same time powerful and fast, it is also a major asset for the French in touch. It took him only 2 minutes to stand out against Argentina, the time to intercept a ball in the opposing lines. He played the full match by delivering a very intense performance, which earned him to be the foremost French front of the game. His cries of joy after the final whistle and the short victory of the Blues (23-21) reflect the desire of this player determined to make up for lost time.
Charles Ollivon has indeed played in Tokyo only his 9th selection, a very low figure since his career with the Blues began almost five years ago. His recurrent problems in the left shoulder slowed his progress, the third line being particularly victim in 2017 of a fracture of the scapula, a rare injury in the rugbymen. He had already been touched on this shoulder in 2013, when he wore the jersey of Aviron bayonnais.
This native of Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle is an ardent defender of the Basque culture, adept at pelota and in love with his region. Several videos broadcast on social networks show him singing in Basque or supporting players from this region involved in various competitions . " He is a leader of the game, but also a leader of the group, he is the Basque in all its splendor, he is proud, it is part of his characteristics", confided recently to the daily L'Équipe Jacques Delmas, who led to Toulon.
Ollivon finally has the opportunity to explode internationally and to join the line of the great third wing line that the Blues have known, like Olivier Magne, aka "Charly", or Imanol Harinordoquy , nicknamed "The bouncing Basque". It is certain that he will do his part of the job so that the XV of France shines in Japan. And whatever the date of the return to the Blues, Ollivon has already ticked a meal in his diary: he promised to invite to the restaurant the surgeon who operated on it a little over twelve months ago.