LAST UPDATE | 21 Oct 2019
FRANCE LOCK SEBASTIEN Vahaamahina announced his international retirement on Monday 24 hours after being sent off in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat to Wales.
Les Bleus led 19-10 when Vahaamahina was sent off in the 49th minute in Oita for elbowing Aaron Wainwright before his side lost after conceding a penalty goal and a late converted try in the final half an hour.
“It’s difficult, very difficult today even more so that I had planned this many months ago, that was my last match for France,” he said in a statement published on his 28th birthday.
“I hadn’t made the announcement about my retirement public because it’s not how I do things.
“The people impacted by this decision have known since this summer: Jacques Brunel, Franck Azema, some players also,” he told newspaper Midi Olympique.
Vahaamahina, who won his 46th cap in the fixture, lashed out at flanker Wainwright at a driving maul with his side seeming to be in a dominant position in the game.
I just lost control. I regret the act, admittedly it was spontaneous and out of control but the fact remains that I am responsable. I’m the only one to blame,” he said.
Captain Guilhem Guirado and the most-experienced member of France’s World Cup squad Louis Picamoles also announced the end of their international careers after the loss.
Wales face South Africa in next Sunday’s semi-final after two-time reigning champions New Zealand play England a day earlier
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And tried to get someone else’s as a replacement
@Dave O Keeffe: What on earth are you talking about?
@Con Cussed: the fact that he tried to knock someone’s head off and his excuse is that he lost his head
@Dave O Keeffe: hes sorry. Move on
At least he’s come out and owned his mistakes, there was a distinct lack of senior Irish players trotted out post match according to Cian Tracey, letting the subs and kids to field the questions doesn’t seem particularly grown up from anyone involved.
https://twitter.com/ciantracey1/status/1185610259651366912?s=21
@Jim Demps: The comments are even more annoying. How much longer will we just be satisfied that we “did our best” and “the lads gave it their all”. They are professionals at the end of the day.
@Jim Demps: yeah credit to the ones who did speak though
@Jim Demps: sure didn’t Best and Schmidt give an interview on the pitch immediately after the game?
@Dave O Keeffe: I think that’s acknowledged in the article as a place where the journalists can’t really ask the pertinent questions.
@Jim Demps: sorry, sarcasm doesn’t work in text format
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: 2018 was a blip of form. We were lucky to get a win against France in the 6 nations, NZ and SA were poor at the time.
It’s as simple as this, we don’t have the quality other nations have, probably due to a very low player pool from grassroots up. You can check the stats for yourself.
We were never going to win the World Cup.
@Jim Demps: How many more ways would you like to hear the same question answered?
@Nathan Mawhinney: we have a bigger population than New Zealand and just about as many registered players!!
Moment of madness cost them a semi final. International rugby is all about controlled aggression
@s mc: plus a couple of missed kicks. One of which should definitely gone to corner when Wales down to 14 and on rack and kicker just taken heavy knock.
He was having a very good tournament until then, surely retiring is a bit of an over reaction, he’s only 28 and in fairness a very good player! This is his second high profile mistake but surely would blow over! Potrenaud in 04!
@mikeyblighe: Agree but the article said he had already decided to retire after this RWC was over (and this was already announced to the coach and some key players)
@mikeyblighe: This guy has form. Also in great tradition of thuggery in French locks, eg Pascal Pape kneeing Heaslip in the back. Game doesn’t need that kind of behaviour. Better off without him.
It could just be a Messi-style “get off my back will ye” temporary retirement.
And probably cost his team the game.
Zidane would be proud
I think Wales have shot their bolt.
A team has only a finite amount of luck in every tournament…