By preferring him to the experienced Virimi Vakatawa (29 years old and 30 caps) for Saturday's crucial match against Ireland (5:45 p.m.), counting for the 2nd day of the Six Nations Tournament, the coach of the XV of France offers him no only his fourth cape but assures him of his confidence.

A decision that Galthié explained Thursday by his many "talents" and a "obvious potential": he "imposes, naturally, without forcing", he "is ready, physically, technically, psychologically".

His second tenure is not really a surprise for those who have been following the exploits in Gironde of the island center for two years already, arrived in mainland France at the age of 13 to follow his uncle, the pillar Tapu Falatea, who is currently playing in Agen (Pro D2).

"Reserved" and "aggressive"

"It's a bomb," said his coach at UBB Christophe Urios to the daily Sud Ouest of him on Tuesday.

"And he's an easy player to manage because he knows where he wants to go and what to do about it."

"He is a + learner +. Always reliable. But also surprising. Because he is as reserved, even shy, in life as he is aggressive on the pitch", he added about the player who extended until in 2024 with Bordeaux-Bègles, current leader of the Top 14.

The center of the Blues Yoram Moefana came into play against Italy in the Six Nations Tournament in Saint-Denis, February 6, 2022 FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

After landing in Limoges from his native Pacific, where he played rugby "for fun" with his friends as he tells L'Equipe on Thursday, he joined the Colomiers training center, where he started as a professional. in September 2018.

Recruited by UBB in 2019 first to join the hopes, he exploded from his first matches in the Top 14 during the 2020/2021 season, scoring five tries in six matches, just that.

To the point of being called up to the Blues during the 2020 Autumn Cup, during which he won his first two selections, against Italy, then in the final against England at Twickenham, where he experienced his first tenure.

The rest of his first season at a very high level will be disrupted by two injuries - "I lost six months last year with my two ankles" -, depriving him of the final phase of Top 14 and the summer tour of the Blues in Australia.

"Character" and "many values"

The form returned, Moefana, with a dashing mustache and a strong physique (1.82m, 97 kg), continued to progress.

"I'm not someone focused on me, I just focus on working and improving day by day. It's always a plus for me, who is young, to gain confidence and s help training to always be at the top level", he said in November.

The young center Yoram Moefana with the XV of Frace U20 during the Six Nations Tournament against Italy in Biella in the Pémont Miguel MEDINA AFP / Archives

"It's deserved because he's an adorable, very nice boy, who has a lot of values, who listens and wants to progress," Jean-Baptiste Dubié, one of his colleagues, told AFP on Thursday. friends at the center at UBB, for whom his rise, "quite dazzling, is not over".

"He also has character so it's a great chemistry in addition to his physical and rugby qualities which are in full progress and already at a super high level for his young age", he added, also highlighting his "vision of the game".

So many qualities that hit home on Sunday against Italy, in the first match of the Tournament of the Blues, when he replaced Jonathan Danty in the 58th minute, injured in an ankle.

It was he, accelerating on the right side, who brought the try of Damian Penaud (69th) before offering, as the last torchbearer, the try for the hat-trick to Gabin Villière (80th +1).

So why not dream that another island, Ireland, brings him luck to win in Blue?

© 2022 AFP