The chess fan, Damian Penaud, is ready to become the king of the scorers of French Try and could even pass the record of the great white Serge on Twickenham, a prospect that will not pursue him in the least.
The lethal end of Bordeaux does not feel pressure. You can occupy your mind with issues that are not rugby, then move a switch to enter match mode. Having recovered from the injury of the foot of the foot, which meant that the first game of the six nations against Wales in Paris was lost, which France won 43-0, the 28-year-old has England in the sights again. If Steve Borthwick's side thinks they can harm him on Saturday, they can be very wrong.
For most players, an initial and protagonist role in Le Crunch, compared to 82,000 spectators and millions of television spectators, would induce the tension prior to the game, but Penoud is different. His former Clermont Auvergne teammate and England's partner Nick Abendanon explained, telling Mail Sport: 'Damian is an interesting character.
'He will be in the gear room before a great game, two minutes before running, on his phone playing the battle of the clans or a game where he is building an empire, to take care of the world. Then, the next time, it will be in the field and score four or five attempts. He has an extraordinary ability to compartmentalize it, so he maintains the pressures to play the game separately from his social life and his other interests.
Joe Worsley, who has spent years, has spent years consulting the flying wing, while Penaud was still in Clermont and Castrés, this evaluation of the impertillable temperament of Penoud, which has spent years consulting the flying wing, while training Bordeaux, when Penoud I was still in Clermont, and Castres. According to the former flank of England winner of the World Cup, the son of Brive Legend and France Fly Flyfly Penaoud is a chip of the old block, in his ability to cope with the mental demands of his high profile, high at stake, high in Occupation game.
“He is very relaxed and does not bother him at all pressure,” said Worsley. 'He will chat with the people around him in the field. They put a microphone for a game of the 14 best: Racing V Bordeaux. It was quite fun listening. A Tackle was lost at the end of Fijian, Habosi, and he was joking about that immediately later with the full-back, saying: 'It was like trying to board a tree!
Damian Penaud is possibly the end of the world and is closing in a Try record in France
Penuad lost the starter of the six nations of France against Wales, but will return against England
Penoud scored two attempts on his last visit to Twickenham and could inflict more damage
'She is a very relaxed soul and her father is also quite cold. I have talked with him several times. Obviously it is in genes, as well as athletic ability and rugby nous. He has such good rugby knowledge because he grew up with the game, in a rugby heart.
The Availability of Pena from for the trip to London is bad news for England. It could be said that it is the wing of the form in the world today, since it has further improved its gold -plated reputation with a remarkable tour of nine attempts in its last two appearances for burgundy, in the champions Cup. Double Hat-tricks is an extremely rare feat, but Penaud claimed a against South Africa sharks.
The National record of Blanco score has maintained for almost 34 years, but Penaud will surpass the iconic back-back soon. He scored two attempts at his last departure on Twickenham, when France submitted England to a humiliation of 53-10, so there is the possibility of the upper part of the Gallic finalist stack for Saturday night, but, but, If not, the moment will surely come during this championship.
Having born in Brive, Damian was still young when he left the city where the name of his family was recorded in the folklore of the oval ball, in search of an opportunity in Clermont. Initially it was deployed in the center of the field and caused an instant impression in Abendanon, who moved to the Massif Central Club from Bath in 2014.
“I still remember to this day when he had his first training session with us in Clermont, in the first team,” said the 38 -year -old, now Bayonne skills coach. 'I had absolutely no idea what position I was, I really thought it was a tarro.
'He got the ball on the wide channel and I was trying to support him, but simply accelerated as if it were nothing. I would not say it was slow, I have always been recognized for a bit of acceleration, but I could not keep up with it in the least. Speed has always been a great asset of yours.
Penaoud was advised in Clermont by the favorite son of the club, Aurelien Rougerie, and together with Abendanon and the former wing of England David Strettle, played his role in helping the club Top 14 Gloria in 2017. Six years later, when he decided West for Bordeaux, the news caused the devastation between the legendary 'yellow army' of Clermont, and an understanding that the chances of success in the immediate future may have gone to the west with him.
In a new environment near the Atlantic coast, Penaud soon felt at home in a devastating back line and its game has been stronger and stronger. His six attacks against sharks brought their general account for 'UBB' to 33 attempts in 32 games; An amazing return.
Penaud scored a double hat-trick for burgundy against Sharks and has nine attempts in two games
The relaxed behavior of Penoud and the character outside of rhythm have created an impression that, as a gallic observer said, “he has lost in his own world or does not care.” Of course, he cares about the game deeply, but he is not interested in fame and largely avoids public appearances. While he has a handful of sponsorship agreements, according to his exalted status throughout the channel, he has not tried to match the commercial influence of Antoine Dupont or Romain Ntamack.
Its main interest is chess. After his final exploits against sharks, Bordeaux chief coach Yannick Bru said: “Spend more time in chess tutorials than to study the game plan!” Bru has also joked: “It is good to have a Damian (in the team) but not two!” Penoud himself was modest by hitting the South Africans for six, saying: “Even the line referee (assistant) could have noted them, but as he does not play, it was me.”
After becoming a senior figure in France's team, it is part of a great contingent of Bordeaux, but good friends of Toulouse, Thomas Ramos. In the Six Nations launch event in Rome, Dupont joked: “Damian could be better if he played for Toulouse.”
The sky helps rival defenses if it becomes even better, because it is almost unjustible. “His ability to overcome someone one by one with his speed is quite extraordinary,” said Abendanon. “And its game reading has become a world class.”
Worsley was equally emphatic in his praise, adding: 'His rugby nous is huge. Like much of the French team, you can recognize opportunities really well and react quickly. If you get the ball in space, from a rotation or a poor kick, you can pieces you, frankly. It has such an incredible combination of strength and speed and is very good to write down attempts. It is on fire at this time.
The French end has won comparisons with Jonah Lomu and is close to the full package
'I know that it is not close to the size of Lomu, but it is that type. Its acceleration and strength give it the ability to break tacle, against much stronger people. When they put it in space, you can use your body to beat the first Tackle, then he left.
'Penaud is almost the complete package. It is a nightmare for opposition equipment. He is playing with such a talented team around him and is so powerful that he can risk.
England should be on a maximum state of alert, about the threat that occurs to it. And Blanco should also be on alert, about the possibility that its historical score brand is eclipsed by modern wonder.
“It's going to be another time, so it's going to crush many albums,” said Worsley.