France aims to prevent the All Blacks from securing the services of promising talent Patrick Tuifua by potentially locking him into their squad in July.
The 19-year-old, born in French territory New Caledonia, is currently based in New Zealand but only qualifies for France. Tuifua, who turns 20 soon, will become eligible for France next year due to residency.
He has played for Hawke’s Bay and the Hurricanes in New Zealand but was recently called up for France U20s during the Six Nations. While there are rumors of Tuifua favoring the All Blacks, France hopes he chooses Les Bleus.
French coach Fabien Galthié reportedly wants to cap him during their South American tour in July. There’s a dilemma between Tuifua participating in the U20 World Cup or joining the senior squad’s tour.
The French Rugby Federation prefers prioritizing promising youngsters like Tuifua for the senior tour over the U20 Championship, facilitating discussions between Galthié, the technical director, and the U20 staff.
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