Coupe du monde de rugby 2023 : Bastien Chalureau de retour, récit d’un début de compétition sous le signe de la polémique

He should have played against the Blacks. But the staff made a decision. For the player’s and the team’s well-being, he needs to be preserved. He will face criticism upon his return if he participates in the match. It would have been a blemish on a magical evening where the Blues started their World Cup perfectly by defeating New Zealand (27-13).

Bastien Chalureau did not attend the party. The previous week, his past resurfaced and blew up in his face. Two members of the France Insoumise party announced on social media their desire to involve the Ministry of Sports in order to exclude the player. The reason being his conviction in November 2020 to six months of suspended prison sentence for racially motivated acts of violence, which occurred on January 30, 2020.

Téléphone coupé

The timing is intriguing, ten months after the player’s initial selection. And this story resurfaces just a few days before the biggest competition of the year. The media is buzzing. The trial of social media takes place. The political world seizes the issue.

« Chalu » decides to turn off his phone. He asks his loved ones not to send him any information about the subject, what is being said on social media. The staff exchanges with him, evaluates the situation. The player’s teammates naturally question it. But the discomfort is quickly dismissed. « We have not been affected by this controversy. We were already aware of this matter. Since he has been in the group, he has always been exemplary with us. Our first concern is the field and Bastien fulfills his role, » summarized captain Antoine Dupont a week before the start of the competition.

Afterwards, Chalureau decides to speak to the media. « I am not a racist, » he insists, tears welling up in his eyes.

Erreurs du passé

During that moment, the giant with blonde hair (2m, 120 kg) found himself in « this cell that smelled like shit. » « On that evening (January 30, 2020), I hit rock bottom. I ended up in a cell, alone. The guy before me had shit on the walls, there was shit everywhere. It was horrifying. I asked the security guard to give me a madeleine so I could put it under my nose, » the player confided in June 2022, a few days before the Top 14 final. « There, I am taking stock of my life. Either I use the bottom to bounce back and go higher, or I crash. »

A lire aussi : Mohed Altrad sur l’affaire Bastien Chalureau : « Si Bastien était raciste, il ne jouerait pas à Montpellier »

La voie de la rédemption a été choisie. Après dix ans sans réussir à s’installer dans une équipe professionnelle (Toulouse, Perpignan, Nevers), à enchaîner les soirées un peu trop arrosées et galérer à soigner un genou qui a failli provoquer l’amputation, le deuxième ligne renaît à Montpellier.

His social circle is changing. His mindset is also changing. Finally, he realizes the extent of his exceptional physical potential.

Ce bouleversement se traduit sur le terrain. Avec le MHR d’abord, puis avec les Bleus depuis près d’un an (6 sélections). Les erreurs du passé sont masquées par ce Chalureau 2.0.

« I cannot reword »

A lire aussi : Coupe du monde 2023 : « Lui, raciste ? Moi, je n’y crois pas… » Haouas prend la défense de Chalureau

After the victory against the New Zealanders, Chalureau coached the young rugby players of Rueil-Malmaison’s rugby school. He was bombarded with requests for autographs and selfies. Perhaps it is the best remedy. After a week of media frenzy, Bastien Chalureau seems to be regaining his label as a rugby player. The first indicator is that no questions were asked about him during the press conference on Tuesday. The reaction of the general public remains, which will be closely scrutinized on Thursday evening when he steps onto the Pierre-Mauroy field.