Georges Brassens sang his "friends first". Faraj Fartass, 23, also invokes his own. If the winger trained at the Stade Français, former international in youth, decided to take up the challenge of the Beauvais Rugby Club (BRC), promoted to Federal 1 this season for the first time in its history, it is largely thanks to his pals ". Nadir Megdoud, Noam Tramon, already present at the club, but also rookie Ken Bikadua among others made their phone work when they learned that Vannes (Pro D2) did not keep the one who can evolve in all the positions of the three-quarter line .
Megdoud and Tramon, the native of Saint-Cloud (Hauts-de-Seine) had rubbed shoulders with them at the hope pole of the Lakanal high school in Sceaux, the pool of the XV of France which has already trained players such as Mathieu Bastareaud and Wesley Fofana. Since then, Faraj Fartass has been very close to them, as has third row Cédric Yonkeu as well as recruits Vincent Belmat (pillar) and Yohann Tarley (winger).
"Vannes no longer had a budget from what they told me," indicates the person concerned. But that's what they say… Nadir, Ken, they all told me about Beauvais. I said to myself: come on, we'll play with our friends … ”On arrival, another big blow for the BRC which had already been noted by the recruitment, among others, of Sabri Gmir, Tunisian international winger.
Faraj Fartass arrives preceded by a nice CV. Above, a line written in golden letters. Selected for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing (China), he won the gold medal in rugby sevens on August 20 at the expense of Argentina alongside Alexandre Roumat, Arthur Retière and Martin Laveau. “After that, we stayed in the Olympic Village for 8 days,” he recalls. We had a great tournament and had a great vacation. Very good evenings, it was brilliant… ”A memorable title, but also a photo that had made the buzz. By hanging on to his shorts, the Argentine Conil Ignacio had indeed revealed ... the buttocks of the French. A mishap that we still talk to him about. “People have seen the photo before they meet me,” he smiles. It was funny, it made me laugh. "
The following days had, however, been less singing. A few weeks later, he was indeed seriously injured in a knee. He remained 13 months without playing, but took advantage of the convalescence to streamline his physique, now weighted down with 6 kg of additional muscle. A paying option for the one who had put on his first crampons in Suresnes, where his uncle played. “My parents wanted me to play sports,” says the man who has always lived in Suresnes. My uncle grabbed me and put me there. I laughed with my friends, I spent my energy, I hooked… ”
Arrived at the Stade Français training center in July 2013, he signed a three-year Espoir contract with the Parisian club in May 2016, and played his first pro Challenge Cup match on October 20, 2016 against Timisoara. Holder, he even offers himself a try. The ascent continues. Thomas Liévremont, then responsible for the Bleuets, called him in the France U20 team for the Six Nations Tournament and the U20 World in June 2017. So much good news after a period of doubt. "I was fired from the France pole in the year of the under 19s, he says, so I was afraid of not being able to apply for the under 20." In question, a "big stupidity of young ”which did not go unnoticed. "I had done two years at the pole, it was starting to be a bit long," he continues. I had a party in my room. The next day, we weren't there for class and we got caught. But Thomas Liévremont told me that he was making a clean sweep of that and gave me my chance. I am grateful to him. "
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Injured in a shoulder on a tackle during a match with the Espoirs du Stade Français in October 2017, he cannot bite into what was to be the season of confirmation: "All the guys of my generation have started to really play or appear in pro. It must have been a pivotal year, I had a blank season. Afterwards, the Stade loaned me to Vannes for my last year of contract. And Vannes wanted to keep me one more year… ”Until his friends picked up their phones a few weeks ago…