He does not have the speed and the sense of spectacle of Teddy Thomas nor the notoriety acquired in the French team by Gaël Fickou or the CV of the Australian back Kurtley Beale.
But of all the “Galactics” who make up the Racing 92 three-quarter line, center Virimi Vakatawa is undoubtedly the one who has made the most progress in recent seasons.
Indispensable with the Blues as with the Ile-de-France club, the 29-year-old has worked a lot to erase several shortcomings.
Which makes it one of the main threats for Ciel et Blanc for their Top 14 semi-final against La Rochelle on Friday evening (8:45 p.m.) in Lille.
Bodybuilding and fitness
"I come from a small village where we do not work out," he told L'Équipe in March.
I didn't even know what it was.
When he arrived from his native Fiji at the age of 17 in 2009, Virimi Vakatawa did not have his powerful size nor his 92 kg which allow him to force the defenses today.
"We took it in hand, and he quickly took a liking to bodybuilding," said the former Racing 92 physical trainer, Pascal Valentini.
He had above average physical qualities, he quickly lifted 120 kg on the bench press, without forcing too much.
Some people work a long time to reach a level that their genes allow them to have naturally.
"
The player expands quickly.
“I got into it all the way and after six months I got bloated.
I took 10 kg ”, loose the person concerned.
At the same time, he gradually improved his endurance, so as not to disappear during the meeting.
“Today he is able to repeat efforts for 80 minutes.
He is no longer in the red on the lawn, so that makes him more formidable with all his technical mastery, underlines Pascal Valentini.
He has become an impressive athlete.
"
Sevens rugby
Change of course in 2014. In lack of playing time with Racing, the player switches to the France VII team by signing a contract with the French Rugby Federation.
“Virimi needed a place to express himself freely with his qualities, says his former partner in Hauts-de-Seine, Benjamin Dambielle.
He had to live a strong collective experience, with responsibilities in order to gain confidence in all his potential.
"
With the Blues of VII, the original Fijian is getting back on his feet, chaining spectacular tumbles and even tasting the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.
# TOP14 #EssaiDuJour - D24
What a clear firsthand test of @ racing92 🔥 @ vvakatawa tears up the defense to offer this test to his rear @kurtley_beale ⚡️⚡️ pic.twitter.com/ILphKz5fAq
- TOP 14 Rugby (@ top14rugby) May 20, 2021
"We recovered a player who was hungry for the ball and who made a name for himself with us to become one of the best players in the world," says his former partner of VII, Julien Candelon.
He has sharpened himself a lot and has matured in his preparation.
"
Called to join the XV of France by Guy Novès in 2016, Virimi Vakatawa attracts the attention of several Top 14 clubs. But chooses to try his luck again at his former club the following year.
“Racing has recovered a player with a completely different state of mind, supports Candelon.
He chose to come back where he was not trusted enough to show how he had changed.
"
Passage to the center
Today, there is no longer any ambiguity: Virimi Vakatawa plays in the center, where he will be associated with his partner in selection, Gaël Fickou, against La Rochelle. But for a long time, the player was aligned with the wing, a position that was thought to be tailor-made to his qualities of speed. “But he needs to be involved. When you are a winger, you lack solicitations, because you sometimes have to wait a long time for the balloons, describes Julien Candelon. Its passage in the center allows it to be at the heart of the device. "
In the France team, it is also there that he flourished at the 2019 World Cup and now under the orders of Fabien Galthié. “He's not just a finisher, but also a designer,” continues Benjamin Dambielle. The two Laurent
(Editor's note: Travers and Labit, then Racing co-trainers)
understood this and had the merit of repositioning it. "" I touch more balls, and that's where I started in Fiji ", slips the person concerned. Since then, Virimi Vakatawa has grown up well.
