Racing 92: “The hardest part was telling my teammates that I had to stop playing,” says Vakatawa

After the shock, the explanations and the reactions.

Surrounded by Jacky Lorenzetti, the president of Racing 92, Laurent Travers, the club manager and Fabien Galthié, the coach of the XV of France, Virimi Vakatawa, the three-quarter center of the Hauts-de-Seine club and the XV de France (30 years old, 32 selections) was moved this Tuesday noon at the Racing 92 training center in Plessis-Robinson when speaking at the press conference at the end of his career in France for cardiological reasons.

In Japan at the 2019 World Cup, a heart abnormality was detected.

He could go on.

This season it has evolved.

It is not a pathology due to rugby.

Many media were present this Tuesday for the event.

"It's hard for me to speak in front of everyone," said the player.

I got up at 8 a.m. this morning and knew I wouldn't be in the field.

The hardest part was telling my teammates yesterday (Monday) that I had to stop playing.

“Monday morning, he learned from the mouth of his president Jacky Lorenzetti that his heart tests were negative and therefore forced him to put an end to his career as a professional rugby player in France.

The National League's medical commission had informed the Ile-de-France club a few hours earlier.

Virimi: pic.twitter.com/y66BATehsI

— Racing 92 (@racing92) September 6, 2022

An unexpected situation that stunned the whole club.

The players were even exempted from the afternoon training session.

“It was hard to announce it to Virimi and then to the group, says Laurent Travers.

Virimi is with us, he will stay close to rugby, his life is through rugby and Racing.

We will accompany him in these colors for which he has given so much.

“I am quite moved (quivering voice on the verge of tears).

Fate meant that Virimi made his last matches with the XV of France, in Japan, adds Fabien Galthié.

Virimi made our children dream.

I want to tell the children to enjoy.

»

Vakatawa came to Racing from Fiji aged 17, brought to the club by former winger Sireli Bobo.

He made his Championship debut in January 2011 and quickly showed his speed.

From 2014 to 2016, when he obtained French nationality, he moved away from Racing 92 to evolve with the French team at 7, signing a two-year federal contract and playing in the Rio Games in Brazil.

He appeared for the first time in the XV of France in February 2016. In the summer of 2017, he returned to Racing 92 and competed in the 2019 World Cup.

More in difficulty last season, competed by Jonathan Danty and Yoram Moefana, Vakatawa had seen his starting place in the fifteen of France threatened.

But he had started the two summer tests in Japan last July.