Fujiyoshida (Japan) (AFP)

"Sincerely, it was screwed": the second line of the XV of France Paul Gabrillagues said Tuesday to the press, in Fujiyoshida, to have crossed his participation in the World Cup in Japan when he was suspended six weeks August 20th.

This penalty, which made him miss the first three meetings of the competition, was finally halved on appeal. And the Parisian, although suspended for the opening match against Argentina, September 21, was retained by the coaching.

QUESTION: You must be one of the happiest players to be here ...

ANSWER: "Yes, when I took six weeks, it was really fucked because it made me miss the first three group games (out of four) .They (the staff) could not afford to take someone who could not play the two close games in four days, against the United States and Tonga (October 2 and 6), which I find quite normal, and I would have been bothered to take the place of someone knowing that I was not going to play that, no (the members of the disciplinary committee) had judged that I had aimed at his head (to the Scottish player John Barclay, August 17, Ed.) While no, he is in the position of + scratching + and, to remove it, I was forced to arrive with force, otherwise I do not move it. "

Q: Did the management tell you that you had made a mistake?

A: "No, no, they supported me, they found that I had done a good mucking, the problem is that in slow motion ... Now they (the members of the disciplinary committees) are really careful If you touch the head, the penalties can be quite pungent. "

Q: Did they tell you that they would not take you to the World Cup if the six-week suspension was maintained?

A: "I did not have a clear discussion, but I did not have any illusions."

Q: Once the suspension reduced, did you still doubt your presence in the final list? Or the coaching gave you guarantees?

A: "No, the staff did not give me any certainty, I could not know, with this sanction, but according to the preparation, the match that went well, you have a little idea."

Q: Between your sanction in first instance and the appeal, the week must have been long ...

A: "Yes, but as I continued to train with others, it went faster, the buddies next to me were great, super nice, it helps to think of something else, but I still had a little blow (morale): you came first to the preparation (late June, like all players who did not participate in the final phase of the Top 14, Ed) and then everything can stop ... "

- Still without "restraint" -

Q: Will you now arrive with restraint to clear?

A: "You must not, you can not doubt or have restraint before a point of impact or clearing.If you start to think, you will not be effective.After, of course, you have to be smart. Do not do anything, but you always have to speed up and have the desire to dominate the collision.

Q: You were a substitute in the November 2018 tests, then not retained in the initial list for the 2019 Tournament. Yet, despite this suspension, you have been selected. What do you attribute it to?

A: It goes fast in one direction as in the other. These are choices of coaches, it's difficult for me (to talk about) ... I think it's a whole. Maybe (thanks to what I did) in training, on the friendly match. "

Q: Between players, have you promised to bring the World Cup back to France?

A: "There are things that are left between us, it's important, but you can imagine that there are only competitors here, so (the goal is to) go as far as possible. The truth will be on the ground, anyway. "

Interview at a press point

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