He was possibly the best center in world rugby around 2020, the guy had it all, the speed, the steps, the fends, the offloads, the defense and the power. He was both a formidable crash ball option and an extraordinary elusive runner. Rarely have players managed to be so successful in both XV and 7s, Virimi has, even when he was playing both at the same time (in 2016). The one thing he has really trademarked in international rugby is his capacity to win 2v2 by wrapping around both defenders and delivering miraculous backhand offloads to his winger. It's a magic trick he perfected playing 7s but that worked wonders in XV, gifting tries in golden wrapping paper to his teammates in racing and France. Wish you all the best Virimi in your new life, and I'm sure you'll continue to be an awesome entertainer and a good lad outside the pitch too.
I wanted to say something like this, but you've said all I wanted to say much better than I would have! That combination of crash-ball powerhouse and offload magic is just such a wonderful mix of talent that makes him so hard to shut down. The number of beautiful tries he created with that offload is testament to how selfless he is too. We'll miss him.
Love the username xD and agreed! I believe the potency of his offloads is due in part to how much sheer power he has in his crashballs. Defence feel the need to bite in on him and he's realised this and adapted perfectly to it!
Met him in a training session for the barbarians against England this year, he was so nice to me and my little brother. One of the only players to actually engage with the mascots who went to ‘train with them’. While all the other French players were completely dismissive him, kruise, Skelton and Botia were all lovely. Class player and great guy.
Incredibly well-balanced runner, amazing vision and skills to match, one of the very few to be world class in both 7s and 15s. Truly one of a kind. Thanks Andrew!
@@ygs6519 Yes... and Vakatawa was already a step above. Again, the Vakatawa of the last season and a half was nothing like the player he was from 2018 to 2020. Only Radradra could look him in the eye. You must not have watched France enough during that time to say that. He was our best player, even ahead of Dupont
@@larvlalo9773 better than dupont? maddest thing ive heard all day💀, Am has been playing exactly like this since the world cup but only has been acknowledged since this year cause he is everything but a flashy player, if it was not for social media, yall would never have talked about Am this year. btw i watched every single france game since the exact same world cup.
Was impatiently waiting for this, knowing you would smash it ! What a player... I still remember his amazing QF 2019 RWC performance against Wales, where he DOMINATED, deserved better.
Thank you Andrew for your tributes to Vakatawa. I hope he will continue his life in rugby and will train young players to have same culture and passion than his for this sport.
Great video once again! Saw him live a few times and the technical abbility he has was insane. Great player and sad to see him end the carreer so soon.
I saw his first match at Colombes (old R92 stadium), at the time he was only running and had a lack of skills, but he was so faaaaaaast!! He had everything to be one on the best center in the past years. Thinking that it ends only for "prevention" makes me sick (even if it's right). As a R92 fan I saw him many times. He is such a nice man, always smilling and true. Always at 100% on the field. I'll miss him a lot, so will French/R92 squads... Wish him the best! Edit: thanks for your vids man (and this one, at the right time) +thumb +subscribe
As a Munster fan, I have always loathed Virimi Vakatawa cause he was always such a thorn in the side of my team, whether that be for Racing 92 or France. I got nervous every time the ball got into his hands. I mean wowey, truly what a player! If only he had played in my team😏
No wonder you could really see his performance not the same when he started in top 14. He was always a threat for the France 7s team and made a big impact in 15s.
To be fair, since 2021 he hadn't been at his best because of injuries. France won the grand slam with Danty instead of Vakatawa, and while we lost in flair, Danty is an absolute unite and very rounded player. It's very sad but only marginally reduces our odds to win the world cup (on current form I'm not even sure he would have made the world cup)
What part? The being diagnosed with a heart issue pre-2019 WC and still being allowed to play at that point until recently? I know what narrative you are trying to push.
@@SamGroarke Do you? That's clever as I have no idea, it just seems a bit weird that he is medically banned in france only for a condition for which he felt no symptoms
@@Demonarrows1 France are pretty stringent when it comes to health and playing. Max Lahiff, Christopher Tolofua, Dmitri Arhip, Alapati Leiua and even Dan Carter have all been prohibited from playing for health reasons yet been fine to play in other leagues. Moreover, not every heart condition will have symptoms, just like plenty of illnesses, diseases and conditions can be asymptomatic. Look at Christian Eriksen and Fabrice Muamba. It’s why heart screening is a thing.
He was possibly the best center in world rugby around 2020, the guy had it all, the speed, the steps, the fends, the offloads, the defense and the power. He was both a formidable crash ball option and an extraordinary elusive runner. Rarely have players managed to be so successful in both XV and 7s, Virimi has, even when he was playing both at the same time (in 2016).
The one thing he has really trademarked in international rugby is his capacity to win 2v2 by wrapping around both defenders and delivering miraculous backhand offloads to his winger. It's a magic trick he perfected playing 7s but that worked wonders in XV, gifting tries in golden wrapping paper to his teammates in racing and France.
Wish you all the best Virimi in your new life, and I'm sure you'll continue to be an awesome entertainer and a good lad outside the pitch too.
He is complete package. Absolute dream for every coach to have him on their side.
I wanted to say something like this, but you've said all I wanted to say much better than I would have! That combination of crash-ball powerhouse and offload magic is just such a wonderful mix of talent that makes him so hard to shut down. The number of beautiful tries he created with that offload is testament to how selfless he is too. We'll miss him.
He is now at Bristol!!!!
How many walk-in tries has he made for Teddy Thomas? He is a winger’s dream, attracts two men then slips the pass.
Love the username xD and agreed! I believe the potency of his offloads is due in part to how much sheer power he has in his crashballs. Defence feel the need to bite in on him and he's realised this and adapted perfectly to it!
What a fucking legend for our country !
One of our best center ever !
Merci Virimi 🇫🇷❤️
Met him in a training session for the barbarians against England this year, he was so nice to me and my little brother. One of the only players to actually engage with the mascots who went to ‘train with them’. While all the other French players were completely dismissive him, kruise, Skelton and Botia were all lovely. Class player and great guy.
So sad at his diagnosis - player's health comes first however. Was a pleasure watching you Virimi
What’s happened to him?
@@simonmoore3546 heart problems
@@arthurmerino8643 shit, that’s grim. Cheers for the update, I had no idea.
@@simonmoore3546 vaccin
@@ffjdmarco thank you mate. Heart problems I was told
Incredibly well-balanced runner, amazing vision and skills to match, one of the very few to be world class in both 7s and 15s. Truly one of a kind. Thanks Andrew!
best number 13 of the last 4-5 years
we will miss you
am is close to him
@@ygs6519 Recently, Am is the best. But Vakatawa 2018-2020 was an another class (not his gosht 2021-2022)
@@larvlalo9773 did you watch the world cup? 💀
@@ygs6519 Yes... and Vakatawa was already a step above. Again, the Vakatawa of the last season and a half was nothing like the player he was from 2018 to 2020. Only Radradra could look him in the eye.
You must not have watched France enough during that time to say that. He was our best player, even ahead of Dupont
@@larvlalo9773 better than dupont? maddest thing ive heard all day💀, Am has been playing exactly like this since the world cup but only has been acknowledged since this year cause he is everything but a flashy player, if it was not for social media, yall would never have talked about Am this year. btw i watched every single france game since the exact same world cup.
Was impatiently waiting for this, knowing you would smash it ! What a player... I still remember his amazing QF 2019 RWC performance against Wales, where he DOMINATED, deserved better.
Thank you Andrew for your tributes to Vakatawa.
I hope he will continue his life in rugby and will train young players to have same culture and passion than his for this sport.
Absolutely outrageous player, such a shame we didn't see the Fickou/Vakatawa partnership more because I think it's the best pairing since Nonu/Smith
With tomma on the wing!
Coming back a year later as a Bristol fan to just make it clear I am GASSED
Great video once again! Saw him live a few times and the technical abbility he has was insane. Great player and sad to see him end the carreer so soon.
3:39 taken from his very last game for France
Dude, you’re always the first to make the best videos at the right time. Congrats man 👏🏻👏🏻
I saw his first match at Colombes (old R92 stadium), at the time he was only running and had a lack of skills, but he was so faaaaaaast!! He had everything to be one on the best center in the past years. Thinking that it ends only for "prevention" makes me sick (even if it's right). As a R92 fan I saw him many times. He is such a nice man, always smilling and true. Always at 100% on the field. I'll miss him a lot, so will French/R92 squads... Wish him the best!
Edit: thanks for your vids man (and this one, at the right time) +thumb +subscribe
Man's a natural. He made everything look so easy, and he looked so hard to stop. Exciting player if I have ever seen one
What a tank!!!
Any nation in world rugby would kill to have a player like him.
A prince both at VII and XV. He made me dream when he played for Racing 92 and France.
Best wishes to Virimi.
Such a great player I remember watching him playing sevens and thinking this man is a star
I couldn't believe when I read he had to stop his career. The worst thing is Vakatawa sadly never won a trophy, this is so unfortunate.
As a Munster fan, I have always loathed Virimi Vakatawa cause he was always such a thorn in the side of my team, whether that be for Racing 92 or France. I got nervous every time the ball got into his hands. I mean wowey, truly what a player! If only he had played in my team😏
France will really miss him.
No wonder you could really see his performance not the same when he started in top 14. He was always a threat for the France 7s team and made a big impact in 15s.
thank you Virimi Vakatawa.......and Andrew Forde!!
Sad to see him go awesome player
What can one say? Another one off the Flying Fijian production line!
🏴
Merci !!! 🤩🫡🇫🇷👍💪🤘
very good video :)
What a player
My favorite player. What a shame he's forced to retire.
Absolutely amazing player. Such a shame to hear about his retirement and really hope he is looked after to move smoothly into his next stage of life
Welcome back mana. ᕦ(ಠ_ಠ)ᕤ
😂I met this legend today
Quel dieu ! Courage Virimi.
He was basically the current lukhayno am except for his entire career.
I love Am to death, but they were very different players. Am is much more rounded, Vakatawa has considerably more flair.
@@sirfrancis6058 not sure about that, vakatawa what a sensational defender and had a good kicking game. But you could argue either way
Had money on France winning world Cup with him. Devastated
To be fair, since 2021 he hadn't been at his best because of injuries. France won the grand slam with Danty instead of Vakatawa, and while we lost in flair, Danty is an absolute unite and very rounded player. It's very sad but only marginally reduces our odds to win the world cup (on current form I'm not even sure he would have made the world cup)
@@sirfrancis6058 indeed we lost in flair but gained power. I just hope Danty will be injury free when it counts.
He is like sbw
Better than sbw by a mile
Gutted We will not see him wearing thé blue Jersey again. ☹️☹️☹️☹️
Up the BEARS!!
Does he reply???
Hello!
@@AndrewDavidForde Best rugby youtuber
Allez Les Bleus 🤔
First
seems very dodgy the chain of events behind this...
?
What part? The being diagnosed with a heart issue pre-2019 WC and still being allowed to play at that point until recently? I know what narrative you are trying to push.
@@SamGroarke Do you? That's clever as I have no idea, it just seems a bit weird that he is medically banned in france only for a condition for which he felt no symptoms
@@Demonarrows1 France are pretty stringent when it comes to health and playing. Max Lahiff, Christopher Tolofua, Dmitri Arhip, Alapati Leiua and even Dan Carter have all been prohibited from playing for health reasons yet been fine to play in other leagues.
Moreover, not every heart condition will have symptoms, just like plenty of illnesses, diseases and conditions can be asymptomatic. Look at Christian Eriksen and Fabrice Muamba. It’s why heart screening is a thing.