Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Moefana scuppers Test chances after incident with France teammate

(From L) France's centre Jonathan Danty, France's centre Yoram Moefana and France's centre Gael Fickou take part in a training session at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland on February 9, 2024 on the eve of their Six Nations international rugby union match against Scotland. (Photo by Andy Buchanan / AFP) (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Yoram Moefana’s hopes of joining the France squad for the upcoming Autumn Nations Series are in doubt following a red card received during Bordeaux’s match against La Rochelle.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Bordeaux centre was sent off for a dangerous tackle on fellow French international Jonathan Danty during Sunday evening’s Top 14 encounter at Stade Marcel-Deflandre. The incident occurred at the 34th minute and referee Tual Trainini ultimately issued a red card after reviewing video footage.

Moefana had made a critical tackle on Danty earlier in the match and appeared to drive his opponent out of bounds once more. However, his second tackle made head contact as he failed to lower his body position and Trainini adjudged that there were no mitigating factors – leading to the red.

Video Spacer

Louis Rees-Zammit – Walk the Talk trailer | RPTV

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:58
Loaded: 0.00%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:58
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    Louis Rees-Zammit – Walk the Talk trailer | RPTV

    Wales try-scoring wizard Louis Rees-Zammit joins Jim Hamilton for an exclusive chat about life in the NFL. Watch the full show on RugbyPass TV

    Watch now

    Bordeaux’s coach Yannick Bru conceded after the game: “It is indisputable… Yoram puts intensity into his tackle, but he has to duck down.”

    Despite a spirited second-half performance from Bordeaux, who scored three tries with only 14 players on the field, La Rochelle secured a 25-19 victory.

    Fixture
    Top 14
    Stade Rochelais
    32 - 22
    Full-time
    Bordeaux
    All Stats and Data

    It was the first red of Moefana’s career and raises real uncertainty over his availability for France’s November fixtures against Japan and New Zealand. With a disciplinary hearing on the way, he faces a potential suspension ranging from two to six weeks.

    Head coach Fabien Galthié is set to announce the 42-man squad on Wednesday, and Moefana’s inclusion now looks unlikely.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “We do not blame him… he is a driving force in our rugby,” Bru said. “It’s hard for him… I’m disappointed for him, he’s a good guy.”

    Moefana has been a key figure for Bordeaux Begles in recent seasons, making 87 appearances with 74 starts, scoring 13 tries. Prior to Bordeaux, he briefly played for Colomiers. Moefana has earned 28 caps for France, starting 17 times and scoring four tries.

    He featured in six games for France U20s.

    Related

    ADVERTISEMENT
    Play Video

    South Africa vs Black Ferns XV | Women's International | Full Match Replay

    Play Video

    Namibia vs United Arab Emirates | Asia/Africa Rugby World Cup Play-off | Full Match Replay

    Play Video

    Lions Share | Episode 5

    Play Video

    Classic Wallabies vs British & Irish Legends | First Match | Full Match Replay

    Play Video

    Did the Lions loosies get away with murder? And revisiting the Springboks lift | Whistle Watch

    Play Video

    The First Test, Visiting The Great Barrier Reef & Poetry with Pierre | Ep 6: The Ultimate Test

    Play Video

    KOKO Show | July 22nd | Full Throttle with Brisbane Test Review and Melbourne Preview

    Play Video

    New Zealand v South Africa | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

    Trending on RugbyPass

    Comments

    0 Comments
    Be the first to comment...

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Long Reads

    Comments on RugbyPass

    J
    JW 55 minutes ago
    'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

    Cameron Woki picked at the base of a ruck and jumped/dived over. That would clearly now be penalised.

    But the Sheehan try is different to my eye. It starts from a tap penalty, he drives forward, the two WB defenders go low for a tackle in the assumption Sheehan will go to ground. He does not, but seeing the hole now left dives through it. In this case surely there is zero danger there.

    World Rugby’s terminology/interpretation recently (shared again after this) is that it’s ok to hurdle/dive (that includes over, say a ruck, which we have seen this many times even in this years SR) to score a try, but it’s not (OK) to avoid a tackle. I can’t remember the one you describe (which may have been where their clarification came from) but that would sound OK. Sheehan definitely was playing the rope-a-dope and dived to avoid being tackled (can’t call it tackled really, just blocked/stopped lol), so shouldn’t have been awarded (I wasn’t aware of this last definition so just thought it was a very smart move). Was it premeditated? I’m not sure, but he could definitely have collected someones head if that was the case. And I guess even if he saw the space, I guess it’s not something they can allow as others might try it and get it terribly wrong?


    Well summed up Miz. I have been thinking the whole situation of events that lead to this type of sneaky move is the problem, particularly as it relates to the difficulty and effort defenders now go to stop such situations (like say Slippers try), where players go extremely low to drive from meters out (and in most cases plays just trying to dive under). It’s also ugly business seeing attempt after attempt to go in under the tacklers, especially with them not really being able to perform a ‘tackle’ at all. I would simply give the defenders their goal line. All they need is some part of the body on or behind, and this will stop the play (being the fuel to this fire) from being attempted I reckon.

    38 Go to comments
    LONG READ
    LONG READ 'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne 'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne