He is the most experienced player in the Vannes squad in the Top 14. With 233 matches in 14 seasons in a row, series in progress, Fabrice Metz has logically become an executive for RC Vannes when he arrived this summer. We have even seen him speak during training or during matches, something which is not natural for him.
“He is quite shy, quite discreet. But when we are interested in him, little by little, he is able to open up, confided, at the start of the season, Thibault Daubagna, his former teammate at the Section Paloise with whom he played eight seasons. He is a fairly simple and very generous person. He had a lot of experience at the end in Pau. It's not necessarily someone who speaks in front of everyone, that's for sure. On the other hand, in his daily work, in his involvement, he commanded respect. »
“A man in the shadows”
The 33-year-old Alsatian has experienced very few injuries throughout these seasons in the elite of French rugby. “He is quite rigorous in his work. It is also a force of nature, continues Daubagna. He has a certain lifestyle and, above all, he knows his body well. »
And even if last season he only took part in ten Top 14 matches with the Section Paloise, his lowest total since his first season in 2011-2012 with Racing 92, the Morbihan staff did not hesitate when the opportunity presented itself.
“I didn’t see him as a worn-out player,” explained Jean-Noël Spitzer at the start of the season. He played less in Pau but because Pau was on other principles, with players who were certainly more mobile, more jumping. We needed to have, in the number five position, a dense, pushing player, capable of taking Mattéo Desjeux with him. It was a recruitment that we made quite early (last season), whatever the case, even in the Pro D2 option”
“He knows what it’s like to play it safe”
His hardworking profile, who likes obscure tasks, ticked all the boxes for the RCV. “Fabrice is a man of duty, he’s a bit of a man in the shadows,” added Daubagna. He likes everything that people don't usually see too much. He likes to do rucks and defend carried balls. All the thankless work that makes us, the scrum halves or three-quarters, often shine. As they say, he would put his head where we would put our feet. »
In eight seasons, together in Pau, they have played a lot to stay in the Top 14 and always with success. “He knows what it’s like to play the game,” Spitzer concludes. I think it's reassuring for his teammates. He's not a guy who talks a lot, but ask the pillars if they like having him behind, you'll see the answer. »
