A severe red card.
The second of his international career.
As much as the first - in 2020 for a punch over Scotsman Jamie Ritchie - was indefensible.
As much as that of Sunday afternoon is involuntary and rather severe.
Afterwards, Fabien Galthié immediately defended his player.
“The gesture, I want to tell you that it is a very hard defensive position to hold.
You are defending your goal line, and the forwards are all in the forward swing position.
When he ducked, the scrum-half in front also ducked,
he said.
When we qualify a red card, we consider space and time.
I think Momo had neither the space to change his position, nor the time.
And he paid dearly for it.
It is a fact of the game and a sanction that we do not dispute.
It stops there.”
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The coach went on to explain that “
for the moment
”, he “
just wants to encourage him, to protect him
”: “
We want to help him.
He is part of the team.
There is not a player who experiences something different.
He was in the team that led 19-0 against Scotland.
The only thing I can tell you is that he is part of the team and we will protect him.
We will accompany him.
He's going to be suspended for I don't know how many games… I can't judge.
»
“I took a red not long ago.
I put myself in his place”
Some might have feared that this second red card (a first for a French international) would put an end to the career of the right-hander from Montpellier.
At first glance, there is nothing.
And all of his teammates also came to his support.
"He was sad in the locker room,"
said full-back Thomas Ramos.
Individually, it's not easy.
I know what it's like to take a red card, I took one not long ago
(against Sale in December in the Champions Cup, editor's note)
.
I put myself in his place...
We are all with him in this complicated moment.
He was keen to prove, to show, to make a big match.
Unfortunately, it happens that fact of match.
In any case, we are strong with him and we hope that he will be fine.
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After having demoted in the hierarchy of the right pillars behind Uini Atonio (suspended) and Sipili Falatea (substitute on Sunday), Haouas knew that he was playing big on this match.
“
It was a special match for him,
underlines the second line Thibaud Flament.
He wanted to do well.
It pisses me off for him.
We don't blame him.
His fault is a fact of the game. These are things that happen.
»
“There is no will to hurt or anything”
The third-line François Cros confirms:
“It's an excess of commitment, he does not control his gesture.
Afterwards, there is no will to hurt or anything.
Except that the refereeing body is now intransigent as soon as there is illicit contact with the head of a player.
“It's just a poorly controlled action with head-to-head contact, as we often see now.
But we know that the referees no longer ask questions and it's red immediately,
confirms the Toulouse flanker.
It's a shame for us because it didn't make our job any easier.
But it's a shame for him because going out on a red in selection is never easy.
Again, it
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Paul Willemse knows "Momo" Haouas particularly well to evolve with him in Montpellier.
“He is sad, we had given him his chance to come back to the team.
He wanted to prove.
It's a little thing... It's a pity.
I'm a little sad for him, it's hard times like that,
says the second line of the MHR.
Especially with his story, he was coming back to the team.
He had trained well with us, he was in good shape.
It was just the urge to show off.
Little things like that happen, no one is mad at him.
We know it happens, it's a shame."
During the week, the Hérault pillar will be heard by an independent disciplinary committee and he will quickly know his sanction.
He should miss at least the "Crunch" against the English on Saturday March 11.