“I didn’t take it very well at first”

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Gabin Villière’s face during the Marseillaise last Saturday before France-All Blacks (30-29) was sufficiently expressive for the broadcaster’s production to focus on it. Hand on heart, eyes shining, the Toulonnais sang the anthem at the top of his lungs, betraying an infinite pleasure at being on the Saint-Denis field.

“It represented a lot of joy and happiness,” confirms the person concerned. “The French team is always a goal and obviously after a long year of waiting, to be able to wear this jersey, and even more so against the All Blacks, it was a very strong moment. It was fun and full of emotion. »

Doubled by Bielle-Biarrey

A tasty moment for the former septist, a little over a year after his last appearance in Blue. It actually went back to the very average France-Uruguay in the group stage of the 2023 World Cup (27-13). A competition where he was supposed to be Damian Penaud’s partner throughout, but where he took the full brunt of Hurricane Louis Bielle-Biarrey. A 20-year-old player who came to get the blue jersey, his own in this case, only to never give it back.

Having not been able to apply for the last 6 Nations Tournament, the fault of a diabolical sequence of two serious injuries, the last of which just before the competition, Villière had to admit that his competitor from the UBB had passed him in front.

“I didn’t take it very well at the beginning, obviously. But gradually I matured. I realized that I had to continue to progress, to move forward and that this It depended only on me. Players emerge in all positions. This is what makes our group strong. We have to learn to accept it, deal with it and surpass ourselves to achieve things we didn’t necessarily know we had. that we had.”

Penaud’s package gave him another opportunity

A work that he undertook with his club but which would not a priori have been enough to allow him to find the 23 of Galthié in this November tour if Damian Penaud had not had to throw in the towel before France/Nouvelle- Zealand, overwhelmed by a virus. Enough to open the door for him again.

“This is also how I took my first steps in the French team during Covid 19 so I am well placed to know how it goes,” recalls the 28-year-old winger, who celebrated his first cap. against Italy on November 28, 2020. “Whether you are second or third choice, you just have to accept it, be there for the group and hope that opportunities present themselves as was the case for me this weekend “. Any allusion to a fly-half playing for Union Bordeaux-Bègles would here be purely coincidental.

Author of a mixed performance against the All Blacks, Gabin Villière knows that he will have to show much more against Argentina if he wants to convince Fabien Galthié not to send him back to the anonymity of the out-group during the next Tournament of 6 Nations. A challenge for a match designed for him, facing Pumas renowned for having that grinta which not so long ago made him one of the attractions of the French XV.

Anthony TALLIEU, in Marcoussis

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