The 28-year-old would no doubt have liked to enter the history of French rugby in a different way than by being the very first to receive two red cards in the jersey of the Blues, in just 15 selections.
For his first tenure in a year and a half, Haouas played big on Sunday against XV du Thistle a few months before the World Cup-2023 (September 8-October 28) and he shot himself in the foot.
While France was playing in numerical superiority following the early exclusion of a Scottish player, the pillar of Montpellier was in turn taken out, from the 13th minute of play, for a whim on the half opposing scrum Ben White on a mucking.
“This gesture, I want to say that it is a very hard defensive position to hold: you defend your line, you have to trigger to dominate the collision”, commented after the meeting, all the same victorious (32-21 ), French coach Fabien Galthié. “He did it, but he lowers himself, the scrum-half too. I consider at that moment that he had neither the space nor the time. He paid dearly for it”.
Haouas admitted his fault and expressed remorse on Wednesday before an independent disciplinary committee, which in the absence of aggravating factors reduced his initial six-week sanction by two weeks.
The latter could still be reduced by a week, provided that an awareness workshop for players sanctioned with a red card for contact with the head of an opponent is validated.
The pillar could then resume competition on April 2 with his Montpellier club against Exeter in the knockout stages of the Champions Cup. But his tournament is no matter what already over.
“Want to protect him”
Haouas had already received a red card against Scotland in the 2020 Tournament for punching an opponent in the face.
Since his last tenure during the 2021 autumn tests, he had slipped in the hierarchy of his position in favor of Uini Atonio, himself suspended for three weeks for a dangerous tackle against Ireland on the second day of the Tournament.
Back in the starting fifteen thanks to this absence, the Montpellier player had a golden opportunity to show himself. He did not know how to seize it, even if Galthié did not want to publicly overwhelm him hot on Sunday: “I want to protect him, help him, encourage him”.
Will the coach risk taking for the World Cup a player not always able to control his nerves and involved in extra-sporting affairs?
Coming late to rugby, Haouas was given an 18-month suspended prison sentence for his involvement in burglaries and has yet to appear in court for alleged acts of “aggravated violence” and “destruction of equipment in meetings” dating back to about ten years old.
Back in his place after his red card against Scotland, the pillar of Bordeaux-Bègles Silipi Falatea (25 years old, 10 caps) holds the rope to replace him in the starting fifteen of the Blues against England at Twickenham on 11 March.
The place of lining should be played between Thomas Laclayat (25 years old), player of Oyonnax, in Pro D2, who does not yet have any selection, Demba Bamba (Lyon, 24 years old, 25 selections) or Dorian Aldegheri (Toulouse, 29 years old , 8 selections).
Atonio should be back for the last match of the Tournament against Wales on March 18 at the Stade de France.