Raphaël Lakafia (4 caps with the French XV) announced that he would end his career in October. After six seasons with Toulon and a final stint as a World Cup joker in Bordeaux, the third row is leaving the field. In an interview with L’Equipe, he returns to this decision.
The one who made his debut in the professional world near Grenoble is hanging up his boots. At 35, the time has come to call it quits for Raphaël Lakafia. The third line trained in Tours then in Clermont has had five clubs. Grenoble from 2006 to 2009, Biarritz from 2009 to 2014, Stade français from 2014 to 2017, Toulon from 2017 to 2023 and finally Bordeaux where he ended his career as a World Cup joker. “It’s not an obvious decision. You’re always telling yourself that you can continue, that you can do one more year. But you have to listen to yourself. The real question is: what I’m going to look for more as I continue?“, explains the third line in the columns of the Team.
Lacking playing time during his last season with the RCT, he had decided to head to Bordeaux : “I wanted to end my career with a smile. I was no longer happy in Toulon where I had great years, that doesn’t erase anything. So I went to find a few more matches to finish on the field, with the banana! That’s the most important thing. I thank the Bordeaux club for giving me the opportunity. I finished with weapons in hand. I’m happy to have closed this book properly, with a beautiful ending”. And it was precisely against Toulon that the native of Tours offered himself this last dance.
I was upset a lot because of the French team. It was eating away at me
Beyond his club career, Raphaël Lakafia also looked back on his four selections with the XV of France. In 2008 he appeared on the radar of the French XV after participating in the world championship with the under-20s. He will have his first selection among “the big guys” during the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. He will start against Ireland during a preparation match before making his appearance against Japan and Tonga. A long absence of five years under the rooster jersey will follow: “I knew that I was a better player than in 2011 and yet, I was not taken or I did not have a chance. But it is not a wound that remained open. I knew how to turn the page. I made up my mind, also because I was having fun at the club. And especially because I had the honor of already being selected. There is a huge difference between 0 and even 4 selections. J “I was international and I played in a World Cup. It’s a childhood dream. Which is not given to everyone.”says the third line.
He will therefore have his last selection under the Novès era in 2016 during a tour in Argentina but will ultimately be injured during the first match. “I was taken very young (22 years old) and I don’t regret anything. Afterwards, I was called up several times, but I didn’t play or I got injured. (He breathes) I admit that At a certain time, I got upset a lot because of the French team. It was eating away at me. I felt a lot of frustration.”, concludes Raphaël Lakafia.
#longer #happy #Toulon #Lakafia #reveals #career
