Paris (AFP)
French left pillar Jefferson Poirot (36 caps), vice-captain of the Blues at the last World Cup in Japan, announced Sunday on his Instagram account his international retirement, just 27 years old.
"It's time for me to tell you about the difficult decision (...) made a few months ago. To take a step back from the Grail that is the French Team , this wonderful team that makes you dream, that is so hard to reach but that is also sometimes trying, "wrote the Union Bordeaux-Bègles player.
"After 5 seasons of investing in it, participating in this race against the clock, I decided to take a step back to devote myself fully to other personal goals", continued the native of Isle-Adam ( Val d'Oise).
He says he is obsessed with "the goal of winning club titles, going through a career in the player's career, and being a full-time Dad".
Removable during the Brunel era, with 31 tenures since his debut in Blue in February 2016, Poirot's position in the France group then faltered since the elimination in the quarterfinals of the World Cup against Wales (19-20 ) and the arrival of Fabien Galthié as coach.
Vice-captain of the Blues in Japan, his name had circulated to take the armband after the retirement of Guilhem Guirado. But it was not.
Confined to an unusual replacement role during the last Six Nations Tournament, Poirot had even been put out of the group during the match against Wales, doubled in the hierarchy by the young Cyril Baille (Toulouse) and Jean-Baptiste Gros ( Toulon).
"This replacement situation could have revolted me. But no (...) It's hard, but the effect was opposite. It relieved me. The decision was even easier to validate. It is for this is why I am making the right decision, "said Jefferson Poirot in an interview with L'Equipe.
Asked about a possible turnaround, the UBB player said his decision was "firm and final", refusing to go to the France team "for the wrong reasons" despite the World Cup organized in France in 2023 .
"It will be a huge event! And I hope that the Blues will be world champions. But that was never taken into account in my decision," assured Poirot.
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