‘Cardiological reasons’ behind decision to stop Vakatawa from playing in France

Virimi Vakatawa has been forced to end his playing career in France due to “cardiological reasons,” his club Racing 92 has confirmed.

The French international centre, aged just 30, revealed on Monday that a Ligue National de Rugby medical commission informed him of the decision to prevent him from playing in the Top14 due to a medical issue. At a press conference at Racing’s training centre on Tuesday, more details were provided on the nature of the problem.

Vakatawa, who has earned 32 caps for France, first learned of a heart defect detected at the 2019 World Cup in Japan. At that stage, the condition was no threat to his career and he was able to continue playing. However, the issue has deteriorated since then and after recent further tests, Racing president Jacky Lorenzetti was told on Monday that his player could no longer play professionally in France.

“It’s hard for me to speak to the world but I would like to thank Fabien [Galthié, France head coach], the [Racing 92] president and Toto [Laurent Travers, Racing’s director of rugby for being here,” said Vakatawa at the press conference.

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“I woke up at eight this morning and knew I that I would no longer be going out on the pitch. The hardest moment yesterday [Monday] was with my teammates. That was very difficult, to tell those I had spent time with both on and off the pitch.”

Vakatawa has found his place in France’s first choice XV under threat of late due to the emergence of Jonathan Danty and Yoram Moefana, but he was picked to play against Japan earlier in the summer.

“I am very emotional,” said Galthié. “Destiny has made it that Virimi has played his last match with the French side, in Japan. Virimi made our children dream.”

Vakatawa was not involved in Racing’s season-opening Top14 win over Castres on Saturday. The club’s director of rugby, Travers, promised to stick by their former centre despite the end of his playing career. “Virimi is with us,” he said. “He will stay close to rugby, his life centres around rugby and Racing.”

“We will stick by him in these colours to which he has given so much.”