Found an article on a French Rugby website about Tibo. Translation from Google...
At the age of 22, who is Thibaud Flament, this Frenchman who is gaining power in the Wasps?
He seems "out of nowhere," a 22-year-old Frenchman from Argentina and the Premiership now plays for the Wasps.
It's a story that begins four years ago, the story of a barely major trotting globe landing in England . Thibaud Flament , a young Parisian, meets at the European capital, Brussels, at the age of three. Until he was 18, he is a pure product of the Belgian system, whether school or sports.
Today, he plays Premiership games with Wasps at only 22 years old. Thibaud evolves to a position where the maturity comes later, a position full of future for a XV of France in search of identity. And identity, it is clear at Thibaud: playing in the blue jersey would be a dream for the globetrotter. Browse the country to better meet, travel to know each other and manage to grow. A profile that goes perfectly to his second line job.
The university system
Thibaud Flament enrolls at Loughborough University located between Leicester and Coventry. This university is among other famous for its rugby team that brews for several years of future professionals. Loughborough Students was playing at the time in National League One, the third level of the English rugby hierarchy. Many internationals have made their debut in the past, the Ben Kay, Ollie Smith, Tony Diprose, Daniel Hipkiss, the former Castrais Phil Christophers, a certain Clive Woodward and more recently Henry Pyrgos . Upon arrival, Flament played with University Team 5 at the half-open position. Post that was probably not appropriate for a boy of his size (more than 2 meters).
The Argentine call
The following year he spent in Argentina , in a famous club, that of Newman, in Buenos Aires, where he seems to have progressed a lot. Reposed to the second line, a position more in line with his size and his natural qualities, he returns to Loughborough University and this time includes the senior team.
The bee always comes back
His performances attract the eye of Wasps recruiters . That he joined last season, incorporated in the Wasps A squad. The latter participates in the reserve championship ( Premiership Rugby Shield, commonly known as the A-league, which traditionally takes place on Monday nights). A competition that brings together pro players lacking playing time, recovery after injury, the best young Academy and the best players of Universities "partners". On the record Wasps, it is announced at 2.03 meters, for 110 kilos:
"The Frenchman played in the 2018/19 Premiership Rugby Shield match with the Wasps, and he made a name for himself in the Premiership Rugby Shield in the 2019 campaign, scoring two tries and leading Wasps for a sixth consecutive final, barely a week later, he made his first team debut against the Saracens in Cup (competition this year, in September and early October, during the World Cup , before the resumption of the championship.) He made his four match sheets from the start of the championship (one as a titular). "
For his university coach, Geratd Mullen, this is the most impressive progression he has encountered: from team 5 of the University to the pro team. The Coventry Live speaks about him as a "fairy tale" on the eve of his match against the Saracens in the Ricoh Arena. British media reports that his visit to Argentina has been very beneficial. Gerard Mullen confirms: "a big part of his development happened during his year in Argentina, it went very well, he came back to us and we were really surprised by his development. year in our first team in the national category, where he was one of the most outstanding players in the league. It does not surprise me that he is knocking on the first Wasps team. This is a second line or number six that has exceptional skill qualities with a ball".
In a team that has just lost Marcus Garratt , a premature retirement, the 22-year-old French already has 3 Cup matches, 4 Premiership and 1 European Challenge. He entered an essay and was three times titular. But who better to talk about it than the concerned himself? At the end of the line, a young person full of ambition and realistic about the work to be done to achieve a dream that few people touch. Thibaud assumes his ambitions and he can.
How did you come to England?
Yes, I am French, I am now 22 years old and a native of Paris. I arrived in Brussels when I was three years old and started rugby when I was 8 years old. I played in the club ASUB until I was 18 as number 10 and behind, all that while being in French high school in Brussels. After my baccalaureate, I still wanted to play rugby and study so the best option was England. I was at Loughborough University and got there I joined Team 5, the lowest team, as the second line this time. At the end of the first year, the coaches of the team approached me because they wanted me to progress. So in the second year I train with the team one and two and I played with the team 3. The One team was playing in Federal English 1 and my third year was the year of my internship. I realized it in Argentina, for a year at the commercial department of the French Embassy. Next door, I played at Newman's club playing in the first division. Again, I started in team 5, then 4, then 3, 2 and I ended up in team one until playing the final of the national championship at stadium Velez after the Jaguares . Then I returned for my fourth and final year of study in Loughborough.
And when you return to England?
I joined the team one in Federal English 1 of the university until last year. The season went very well, I had plans to return to France, except that it did not take we will say. Meanwhile, in December of last year, the Wasps asked me and they offered me to do physical tests at home. In January, they offered me a two-year hope contract that I signed at the end of February. I arrived in June at the training center and everything went very fast. I joined the team one and it's been since mid-August that I train and I play with the first. I started playing the Cup games, which is a little team two, and then they made me play the Premiership. Today' . Well, everything is going very fast, it's accelerating and I'm very happy.
You are considered a traveler.
Yes. Kind of. I played in Belgium, Argentina, England and I would like to play in France, Super Rugby . I want to taste a little bit of everything yes.
And your studies ?
I did a business school, I have a Bachelor in Commerce so. I plan to do a master at a time, but not for now, I give myself time to see how rugby evolves.
How did you get to play the European Challenge in such a short time?
Marcus Garrat left on injury, so we are 7 second lines postulants today including Launchbury who was at the World Cup. For me it's crazy to play with him, Fekitoa, Brad Shields , etc.
They room you a little on the XV of France?
No not too much ! Not really. Or not yet, it'll come I feel it.
French Passport so ...
That's it, I'm 100% French, I have a French passport, I was born in Paris and I have family in France.
And so ?
Ah yes, that's for sure. Since I started rugby it's my dream. I watch the France team all the time. It's my dream to play with the France team, to play a World Cup. They are objective dreams, I do everything to succeed in touching that.
Your university coach said you had made it to Argentina.
Yes, I had a click. I do not know, it's being in Latin America, managing my own life for the first time. I was no longer in the university circuit, so I had to go out on my own. I left there without internship, I found it on the spot. I just had a rugby club, at night I did not even know where to sleep. To "dépatauger"from this situation, there was a click and everything started to get well. Everything was great: my internship, rugby, etc. The community is superb, I always have very strong links with the players, the parents of players and the whole club in general. The alchemy of the whole thing did that. Since I was in training, I had no summer vacation so I spent three months in the off-season to do 6 sessions of muscu per week, to run after and before work. It paid on the post-season.
So you are a pure product of the Belgian training?
I played at the ASUB in Brussels, with which we were champion of Belgium in less than 18. This is my first club, I always have a special link with this club.
Do you want to stay in England or play in France?
For now, my goal is to continue to grow here, I'm learning a lot from the Wasps. I want to try to play as much as possible this year. I always dream of playing for the France team, whether from England or from France. I do not know yet, I focus on the immediate.
There is a club that makes you dream in France?
Yes ! There are many. Clubs where there is a good audience, after I do not have a particular club, but to play in France it would be special for me. We will see as and when. Everything in its time.
Always a Wasp
