Top 14 – “We're almost not surprised that he's here”: at just 18 years old, Gabin Kretchmann will play his first match with the USAP

If he enters the field this Saturday, he will become the first Frenchman of the 2006 generation to play a Top 14 (and even Pro D2) match. He ? It's Gabin Kretchmann. An 18 year old rough diamond, just waiting to be polished. Because the talent of the fly-half, who can also play well at the back, has been noticed for several years within the USAP training center, where he arrived in 2019. This is also evidenced by his selections with the French U18 team for the 6 Nations Festival last winter. Still captain of the Crabos five months ago, the native of Perpignan will therefore have the opportunity to participate in his first professional meeting this Saturday against Vannes (4:30 p.m.). To Aimé-Giral. In the den in which he has undoubtedly always dreamed of playing with the blood and gold jersey in the Top 14.

Also read:
Top 14: against Vannes, USAP must win to stay on the right side

Above the rest

Seeing Gabin Kretchmann being propelled to the forefront does not surprise many people, to tell the truth. Whether it is Antoine Aucagne, his teammate, Florian Cazenave, his former coach in Crabos, or even Cyrille Colin and Jérôme Helaine, his former educators at JSI Elne. Because that’s where it all started. It was at the Maurice-Erre stadium that little Gabin, 5 years old, took his first steps. “A very passionate and very attentive kid. And then he already had skills above the rest. He was one of the kids who were the most axurites. When we told him something, he immediately understood and tried to put it into practice. Everything was going very quickly with him.”remembers Jérôme Helaine, who trained him during his very first steps, then in Benjamins (-12 years old).

So quickly, that Gabin Kretchmann wanted to skip the steps a little too… quickly. At 10 years old, during a tournament, he surprised everyone. By his vision of the game and his enthusiasm. Already ! “In a semi-final, he kicks over the top and scores. While kicking was forbidden in these small categories. We take him out and we ask him the question of why he made this play on foot. He tells us that there was no one and that he knew he was going to score.assures Cyrille Colin, who also accompanied him in his training as a young player at the JSI-LT.

Also read:
Top 14: seven changes in the starting XV, first for Gabin Kretchmann… The composition of the USAP for the reception in Vannes

A fan of several sports – basketball, judo, swimming and even fencing – this allowed him to develop skills and reflexes which undoubtedly still serve him today. “He had this ability to always play with his gaze and his head raisedexplains Jérôme Helaine. I think he developed it because he was playing basketball at the same time.”

“He impressed everyone in pre-season”

It didn't take long for the USAP to detect the Illiberian's talent. Arriving at the club at 13, he climbed the ranks without problem before exploding even further in Crabos. Under the leadership of Florian Cazenave, Gabin Kretchmann was promoted to team captain. A natural choice for a player already mature for his age, especially in this key position. “He's an ultra-mature kid. We've been saying for a while that, cerebrally as he's designed, and technically as he's designed, we're almost not surprised that he's here In any case, we, on the training team, hoped that this moment would come.admits the former scrum half. His qualities are really his quality of passing, his quality of kicking, his understanding of the game, the ability to set rhythm and choose the right spaces. He really reads the game which is very good. He has technical quality in passing and he has also progressed in his athletic qualities. He's a complete player.”

Also read:
Top 14 – USAP: tenth consecutive sell-out at Aimé-Giral for the Vannes reception

And the least we can say is that he also impressed his teammates during the summer. Called by Franck Azéma to prepare with the professional group, Gabin Kretchmann has undoubtedly taken a head start for a young person of his age. He also had the opportunity to play 17 minutes at Mayol against the RCT in a friendly match. Then he made his debut with the Espoirs, before injuring his finger at the end of September. Called into the extended group last week for the trip to Racing 92, following numerous injuries, he will now be thrown into the deep end this Saturday at Aimé-Giral. “He’s a player who impressed everyone in pre-seasonconfesses fullback Antoine Aucagne. He comes from Crabos, but he is already physically ready (he is 1.83 m tall and weighs 84 kg, Editor’s note) and technically. He must not put pressure on himself and enjoy himself. I think he'll be fine. In any case, in training, he is largely up to standard.”

If nothing is yet certain that he will come into play and validate this first appearance in the Top 14, seeing him line up in the 23 is proof that we will have to count on this player in the future.