Starting for the first time with the XV of France, Romain Buros is far from being unknown.
“He performs with his club and during training with us. He arrives with a lot of confidence which he demonstrates with his club and during the three weeks of training. This combination has placed him in a position to come and get the jersey” Tels are the words of Fabien Galthié to explain the starting place of French full-back Romain Buros against New Zealand this Saturday, November 16.
But who is behind? For purists, he is far from unknown. Back of Bordeaux Bègles, he is one of the team's executives and is an indisputable starter. However, Romain Buros is a product of Landes. He started in Aire-sur-l'Adour at the age of 5 and has not left the world of rugby since that age.
At the age of 18, he became professional with the Pau Section. But after making the decision to sign for Bordeaux, he was treated like “an ugly duckling” by his club which put him in the closet. Difficult to live with for the player, particularly shy outside the rugby field. “Before, I had very little self-confidence. At the beginning, in Aire-sur-l'Adour, I played flyhalf because I preferred to make others play rather than really express myself. It was difficult to manage to the UBB and to feel legitimate there. I was not comfortable in communication.”
No selection despite regular presence
International U20, Romain Buros has never experienced the slightest selection with the seniors despite recurring presences in larger groups since 2021 as explained by Fabien Galthié. An astonishing statistic which can be explained by the fierce competition for his position. Starting against New Zealand, he wants to seize the opportunity. “I didn't necessarily expect it. But it's something I've been looking for for a long time. Now I'm going to have to sink my teeth into it because I think this is the kind of moment that should be taken advantage of. I also have an experienced team around me. I will be able to rely on a lot of people. […] Having the selection is not the goal. The goal is to be good on this first selection” he explained to Midi Olympique.
