It is an action which symbolizes the incredible potential of Georges-Henri Colombe Reazel, of whom a former Rochelais, who knows him very well, tells us that he has everything to become the best right pillar in the world. In the 75th, on September 28, Racing 92 led 16 to 9 against the Maritimes when the 26-year-old Blue (4 selections), launched, created enormous damage over ten meters, stopped just in front of the goal sky and white. Two rucks later, Reda Wardi put his team back on track with a first away success validated by a penalty from Teddy Iribaren (16-17).
A week later, the massive front row (1.93 m, 142 kg) does not appear in the group which welcomes Lyon, unlike Aleksandre Kuntelia, a 22-year-old Georgian international (1.97 m, 135 kg) author of a big start to the season, and Uini Atonio, the boss of the position in club and selection, placed on the bench. The consequence of a reinforced rotation system? Not only that.
Negotiations drag on
This is because the action mentioned above is all the more frustrating because in Créteil, as against Toulon then in Toulouse, the pillar displayed a nonchalance which he has struggled to get rid of since his debut. And a recent delay to training didn’t help. Enough to remind us that between a status of enormous potential in a position which is not full of it in France and that of a sure value, there is a step that the Rochelais – seen as the successor of Atonio in blue – does not has not yet been achieved despite its promises of the 2024 Six Nations Tournament. Enough to explain, also, that the negotiations for an extension – the last hot issue with, to a lesser degree, that of Brice Dulin, the confidence being shared for the future of Matthias Haddad-Victor – are dragging on.
“I know he will stay in the fight and come back in shape”
“’GH’ is working well, and a lot, in the shadows at the moment. There are certain things that he needs to work on but I know very well that he is a super powerful the La Rochelle melee. It sometimes happens to be less efficient compared to previous seasons. I know he will stay in the fight and come back in shape. »
Joel Sclavi is back
His situation has not escaped Toulouse which, as we revealed on September 5, has done more than stick its nose out of the window with a view to next season. But that does not frighten La Rochelle, perhaps the most armed European club at the right pillar position, especially with the return of the Argentinian Joel Sclavi who has just faced, No. 3 in the back, the Springboks during of the Rugby Championship.
“We have a lot of competition,” agrees Steenkamp. In the offseason, Uini (Atonio) worked very well. It shows once again that it is always possible to evolve. At his age (34 years old, Editor’s note), he is perhaps the best right pillar in the world with (the South African) Frans Malherbe, assesses Steenkamp. He’s always involved, always invested, it’s great. Often, we say that age plays a role, but if you have a good state of mind, the desire to work well, to do it precisely while trusting everyone around you, everything is possible. » The eldest of the La Rochelle pillars therefore has everything of the perfect model for his younger brother Georges-Henri Colombe Reazel.
La Rochelle 4th/13 pts – Lyon 5th/12 pts
Lieu La Rochelle (Marcel-Deflandre Stadium) Hourly Saturday, at 4:30 p.m. Referees Mr. Gasnier (Occitanie) TV Live on Canal+ Sport Internet sudouest.fr
LA ROCHELLE Dulin – Favre, Seuteni, Danty, Berjon – (o) Reus, (m et cap) Kerr-Barlow – Boudehent, Cancoriet, Haddad-Victor – Douglas, Dillane – Kuntelia, Sutidze, Wardi., Substitutes: Lespiaucq, Paiva, Skelton , Lavault, Richer, Hastoy, West, Atonio.
LYON Niniashvili – Mignot, Parisien, Maraku, Rattez – (o) Méliande, (m) Page-Relo – Okuya, Shvangiradze, Blanc-Mappaz (c) – Geraci, William – Fotuaika, Matavesi, Kaabèche., Substitutes: Charcosset, Rey, Roussel, Cretin, Gonzalez, Jackson, Radradra, Aptsiauri
