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French international Penaud admits to sanction last week by his Clermont boss
Damian Penaud has admitted to being punished by his Clermont coach, Franck Azema.
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The France winger, who started three matches at the recent World Cup, was absent from his club’s teamsheet for last Sunday’s match versus Castres.
On Thursday, he candidly revealed at a media conference that his absence wasn’t due to an injury and was instead the result of a managerial sanction.
“It was not rest. I had a bad attitude against Toulon and I was punished. I take it and it was part of sport. Now, I don’t want to say more. It remains between Franck and me,” he said in a story reported by the media in France.
Clermont were thrashed 41-19 at Toulon and Azema was disappointed with the commitment of some players, including Penaud who played that evening in the midfield.
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“It is important to be at 200 per cent,” he told his club’s website. “Even though he already has a lot of experience at a high level, Damian remains a young player. Throughout his career, he will learn. But the fact that he says it himself proves that he is a competitor.”
Clermont bounced back from the loss at Mayol to defeat Castres 39-22 and they now visit Racing on Saturday in a match between the fifth and seventh-placed sides who have the same amount of points – 30 – from their dozen matches so far this season.
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