Nice (AFP)

He overcame youthful mistakes that sent him to a reformatory. Mohamed Haouas finds himself in the France team, starting Sunday in the front line against the impressive English pack. For his first selection in Blue.

Five years ago, the right pillar of Montpellier was placed under judicial supervision, its exit times framed and its passport confiscated. His face is probably not yet known today but he will only need his blue jersey to enter Sunday on the lawn of the Stade de France, where he will challenge the vice world champions.

A N.3 flocked jersey, similar to the one he has worn for two seasons in Montpellier and where he admires his slaughter and his sense of sacrifice.

Performances which also charmed the staff of the XV of France, to the point of taking them in their luggage, first to Nice for the preparation, then to Saint-Denis for the Crunch.

"The past, I do not care," said William Servat, the coach of the front of the XV of France.

"What matters to me is the player I met, the person I met. He's a very respectful guy, always on time on all dates. very quickly joined the group: he is funny, the guys love to be with him and know that he is a brave guy. He is an incredible listener, he participates in everything. After the performance, we will see. something else, we will wait until we get to the match, but it's a pleasure to have this player, "adds Servat.

However, whoever discovered rugby at 15, thanks to the Hérault general council, should not necessarily have been there. Like his teammate Anthony Bouthier, holder, at the back, Haouas was promoted to the management of the Blues by his coach at MHR, Xavier Garbajosa.

- Punch -

"We were lucky to be able to visit the players in the club, to be able to meet them, to chat with them. I went to Montpellier four times, I met him, I had many exchanges with him, but I neither discovered it nor rediscovered it. It’s the front player from Montpellier who has the best travel and activity statistics for the match. It’s a straight pillar profile that is able to catch up with the three- quarters that sometimes pierce ... ", Servat explains again.

Haouas (25 years old, 1.85 m, 127 kg)? A mobile player, but also a warrior, impulsive and impatient, capable of delivering a punch a few minutes before the kick-off of a match to his teammate, the ex-Springbok Bismarck Du Plessis.

At the announcement of his tenure, the video came out and went around social networks.

It doesn't matter for Fabien Galthié, delighted to have "players emerging with a different, more complex course".

"We retained the players because they are efficient, in club and in training," said the coach of the XV of France.

Because the new boss of the Blues is preparing for the future and, especially the 2023 World Cup. At a right pillar position where France is in deficit, Haouas has ruled out competition from the injured Toulousain Dorian Aldegheri, and especially that of the Lyonnais Demba Bamba, which will start on the bench.

"At this right pillar position, there is no certainty. We had to choose between two players (Demba Bamba and Haouas, Editor's note) who have little experience at this level," says Galthié. "We are asking ourselves questions. We will have the answer on Sunday." One thing is certain, with Mohamed Haouas, it will be direct.

© 2020 AFP