Bernard Le Roux, never without the banana -

Robbie Stephenson / JMP / REX / SIPA

  • The second line of South African origin Bernard Le Roux will be present for the decisive match of the team of France against Ireland, but was almost suspended after a nasty gesture against Wales.

  • "We are very happy to be able to count on him this weekend," whispered Cyrille Baille just hours after the announcement of the good news, a sign of the importance of the big guy.

  • “Bernard is a hell of a warrior, a very big melee pusher.

    He brings a lot of generosity and desire, he is impressive by his ability to multiply the tasks… ”, continues Baille.

    A hybrid profile between the third row, his training station and the cage where Le Roux is now located.

Memories of another time, of a time when the Blues of rugby earned less but where the journalists who follow the XV of France could congregate ten around a player without risking to cry out his app All Anti Covid ( this is not product placement).

End of 2019, therefore.

The Blues are preparing their second World Cup match against the United States after hitting the Argentines with nothing.

In the center, Bernard Le Roux, ultra brite smile, always in a good mood.

The Racingman knows he is lucky: a long suspension following a dangerous tackle against Stade Français should, logically, have deprived him of a trip to Japan.

He himself did not see himself in the extended list of Jacques Brunel.

He says: “When the first list of 37 was released, I was on a family vacation in Marbella, Spain.

I got a congratulatory text from a buddy.

I was carrying my little girl, and I almost dropped her from my arms!

"

The specter of suspension before Ireland

A year later, Le Roux did not have time to go and hide in Andalusia for lack of time and the favorable context, but he once again almost missed a big international deadline - in this case the last decisive match of the Tournament against Ireland - for a contentious gesture.

His Achilles heel as he has never had any trouble conceding (that, and the races with the ball).

“His weak point is perhaps that, confirms his first coach in Racing, Pierre Berbizier.

His excess of generosity where he can get carried away.

“Against Wales, his elbow came to rest on the jaw of Alun-Wyn Jones following a muscular clearing.

After the hearing of Bernard Leroux with the disciplinary commission of the 6 Nations Committee, it is with pleasure that I inform you that our exemplary player has no charge against him.

He will be able to defend our colors from Saturday against Ireland.

🇫🇷

- Raphaël Ibañez (@ibanez_raphael) October 27, 2020

Obviously, the whole Brexit Kingdom jumped at the opportunity to shoot red balls on the second French line and post 8,000 zoom, videos of the action on Twitter and messages "bla, bla, same elbow shit than Vahaamahina ”.

Well, we admit that watching the action we said something like "not that Zinédine, not now ..." But finally it passes.

Nanard, who left us on an enigmatic "I hope to see you again against Ireland" last weekend, was not punished by the three independent commissioners who had summoned him earlier this week.

Phew.

"We are very happy to be able to count on him this weekend," also whispered Cyrille Baille just hours after the announcement of the good news by Raphael Ibañez on Twitter.

We must see in this wave of relief the importance of the big guy within this XV of France.

Yawns, always: “Bernard is a hell of a warrior, a very big melee pusher.

He brings a lot of generosity and envy, he is impressive by his ability to multiply the tasks… ”A hybrid profile between the third row, his training station and the cage where he is now.

Above all, his mobility and strength make him a perfect complement to his double compatriot Paul Willemse, where Taofifenua, probable replacement for Le Roux if he had been suspended, would have duplicated the Montpellier driver.

Indispensable, then, the Nanard?

"Nobody is," calm Berbizier.

It is in any case not very far.

This status, he more or less obtained during the summer tour in 2018 by being one of the few convincing Blues against the All Blacks, Sonny Bill Williams still remembers.

Brunel made him one of his reliable guys, Galthié also validated him by systematically establishing him.

Berbizier, to the revival.

“The temperature of a team is the second line that gives it.

And today, along with Willemse, he is part of the balance of this team.

The strength of this team is there, in the second line.

And then Bernard also has this versatility.

He's got that fourth third row side on one side and able to take on the thankless jobs at the second row post on the other.

"

Sheep tackling on the farm and contagious enthusiasm

The dirty work speaks to him.

Anecdote from the South African archives of the loustic.

As a child, he trained to ditch sheep on the family farm.

And he did it again during the first confinement.

"They were rather quick," he laughed at the resumption with Racing.

A wall lined with a Stakhanovist, one dares not imagine what the Soviet propaganda would have done with it if he had been born in the East 30 years earlier.

But it is this hard-working side that immediately appealed to Berbizier, at the origin of his arrival in the 92 in 2009 as part of trade with South Africa.

“I sent front row players,” he says.

They spent a month there and in exchange the South Africans sent us five players in return, including Bernard Le Roux.

By his capacity and his quality of work, I saw immediately that he had that and it was very clear in his head.

He told me straight away "in South Africa as the third row I am barred so me here I want to make my career here", he already knew what he wanted.

He then gave himself the means to get there.

He was doing rabbit, I saw him on recovery days come to the weight room on off days as they said.

I remember that our physical trainer at the time Pascal Valentini helped him a lot at the start.

He was questioning her, he was curious.

What was interesting is that he did not undergo his preparation, he wanted to understand.

And then he is an always smiling player whose enthusiasm and rigor lead others to the top.

Just as he trains the France team today.

"

The example of Paul Willemsee

Paul Willemse knows all about it.

Often considered too heavy for the international level and the trips required by modern rugby, he learned a lot in a few months alongside the Racingman, whom he quickly approached after their first cohabitation during the preparation for the 2019 World Cup. " There are not many players in the world capable of making two, three consecutive tackles, it's impressive, he conceded during a press briefing before the victory in Wales in the 6 Nations tournament.

I saw that it was possible, because if he can do it, so can I.

He is an example for me because he works a lot, even if it is harder for me.

"

As a result, Willemse lost 15 kg on the scales and, while we could not see him adapting to Galthié's rugby, he now forms the ideal tandem with his friend.

Le Roux who, that same day, said he was seeing himself again in his second line companion.

“He's very hard on himself.

I was like that a few years ago.

He should take advantage because it goes quickly, we must not be too hard.

Bernard neither with his adversaries.

With his opponents either ...

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France - Wales: Before Ireland, small flats and great satisfaction for the XV of France

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