“I had pain in my stomach”, Colombe reveals having played with gastro against the All Blacks

Quickly coming into play against New Zealand on Saturday evening at the Stade de France, the pillar of the Blues and La Rochelle, George-Henri Colombe, admits to having played while he was handicapped by gastro.

Very special evening for George-Henri Colombe. If the right pillar can savor his performance and that of the Blues, winners of New Zealand 30-29, not sure that he has good memories of his 70 minutes spent on the pitch at the Stade de France. Substitute at kick-off, he came on in the 9th minute to replace the injured Tevita Tatafu. But the 26-year-old Rochelais (6 caps) did not face the Blacks in the best physical condition. “I fell ill on Friday morning, I had gastro,” he revealed Monday in the columns of Le Parisien. “The staff called Uini (Atonio) to cover any eventuality until the morning of the match.”

“My body called me to order at the end of the match”

Sent onto the pitch by Fabien Galthié, Colombe did his best despite a diminished physique: “I had pain in my stomach and I knew it was going to be long and hard. It was a very important match, I didn't want to have regrets. So in these cases, you go there and it's the mind that takes over.”

Performing well despite his gastro, he was not able to properly enjoy the post-match: “I quickly went to see my loved ones, then I went to the locker room to go to the toilet,” he replays . “My body kind of called me to order at the end of the match.”