Pro D2 – Clément Sentubéry, assets of a future great in Soyaux-Angoulême

This is a summer recruitment which will have significantly raised the status of the trophy cabinet that forms the workforce of the SA XV. Two 6 Nations Tournaments and a European Challenge with English winger Jonny May, a Pro D2 champion title with former Vannes player Arthur Proult, without forgetting the two French Champion Shields won by Clément Sentubéry with the Toulouse hopefuls. A great achievement at only 21 years old, when playing a first full season among professionals. Author of two appearances in the Top 14 last season, for 38 minutes, the third wing row headed to Soyaux-Angoulême to “get some playing time, some experience, match against the big guys. After three years of hope, I had come around a bit”.

Originally from Bigorre, Clément Sentubéry started Rugby at home, in Pouyastruc. “I started by following the family. My brother played rugby, my father was president of the rugby school. I was immersed in it since I was little.” After growing up at Stado Tarbes, he completed his training at Stade Toulousain, accompanied on a daily basis by Joe Tekori and Jerome Kaino. “For me, it changed everything. The expectations of the pros are relayed into hopes, there is a whole link that is made. The Kaino, Tekori, David Mélé, we saw them every day. Obviously they teach us things, full of little details that we don't think about, you, a simple rugby player, when they pass you by, you feel it.” smiles the one who was captain of the hopes during the last two national titles. It is partly for its already established leadership qualities that the SA XV has shown itself. “We wanted guys capable of being leaders, of imposing themselves, explains manager Alexandre Ruiz. We are in a year of transition because we are going to change cycle with some experienced men who will stop and we have to optimize the whole season to train leaders. Clément already arrives here with experience, that’s time saved.”

Perfect relay from Gibouin

Its integration was ultra-fast. Reduced for two weeks at the beginning of September, Clément Sentubéry played the nine matches in which he was operational. He is the sixth most used player in the SA XV, the first if we only count rookies.

“He has proven himself on the field by playing very good matches very quickly. We feel that he is a leader at heart, that he will have a tendency to speak up. He is young but we feel that he already has his eye on a lot of things”greets Captain Gautier Gibouin. The Charente third row is playing his last season and has perhaps found his perfect relay. Like him, Clément Sentubéry does not rely on frightening measurements, he is poison in and around the rucks (with 9.6 tackles per match, he is in the lead on the SA XV side) and jumps very high in touch. The former Toulouse player even offered an assist to George Tilsley with a little low-footed play at the start of the season. “I love kicking the ball before or after training. I don't know if it comes from that, but it was instinctive.” An interesting range of qualities, which Alexandre Ruiz expects to see flourish a little more. “I think he’s at 60 percent of what he can do.” Promising.