Fulgence OUEDRAOGO

Biog of Fulgence OUEDRAOGO :

The 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons are best forgotten by Fulgence Ouedraogo, from an international point of view, winning only five caps in two years. Before this time, decimated by injury (three injuries depriving him of the two November tests, the second half of the 2010 Grand Slam and the end of the 2011 tournament), disciplinary sanctions (he was not considered for the June tour because of a disagreement between the League and Federation concerning the Rugby Sevens team) and strong competition (with Dusautoir, Bonnaire and Harinordoquy notably), Ouedraogo had been an ever-present on Marc Lièvremont’s team sheet, earning, from the end of June 2009 and the arrival of the new coach, 16 out of a possible 18 selections.

But why Ouedraogo? Because he is a “different type of player,” explained Didier Retière, Lièvremont’s forwards coach. “He is very quick and skilful and he provides support all over the pitch. On top of all this he has excellent body position in contact.” Others voiced a different opinion, railing against his lack of size and impact, judging “Fufu” less visible than Thierry Dusautoir in defence and less effective than Imanol Harinordoquy or Julien Bonnaire in attack. Oeudraogo ignored all the criticism and continued following instructions, playing the role that suits him so well, the link-man between forwards and three quarters - without punching big holes perhaps, but keeping the ball alive.

Ouedraogo kept his head down and grafted at Montpellier, the club he had joined as a colt, later making his debut for the first team at just 19 years of age, unsurprisingly a little light (94 kg) at the time. At 20, with an Under 21 World Cup win the previous year already under his belt, Ouedraogo, known as the Black Shadow because he is always behind the ball carrier, made his first appearance for les Bleus, and by 21 he was a settled member of the squad. “It drives me mad. Fufu has ten lungs,” complained Louis Picamoles, Ouedraogo’s friend from Montpellier and teammate for France. “After a match I’m on my knees but he is still capable of playing another half.”

It is certainly true that Ouedraogo can run. And he knows how to tackle, rarely failing to stop his man. Ouedraogo regularly obtains the highest tackle count in a match for France, as was the case against Fiji in November 2010. He has also bulked up – but slowly so as not to affect his other qualities – and now weighs well over 100 kg (103kg). Since 2008 Ouedraogo, who was the first Montpellier player ever to be capped, has also been their captain and has matured in the role, cementing his place at the centre of Montpellier Hérault Rugby, now trained by the expert coaching duo Galthié and Béchu. He has been an untouchable charismatic leader, spearhead, defensive lynch-pin and spokesman throughout the amazing 2010-2011 season crowned by two firsts (qualification for the European Cup and Top 14 finalists), demanding a level of commitment that up until then could only have been guessed at. Montpellier were defeated by the Toulouse behemoths in the final (15-10) but Ouedraogo was Captain Courageous once more, playing despite his bandaged broken hand and energising the troops.

Marc Lièvremont, who already rated the player highly, obviously noticed this new dimension and Ouedraogo, who was an important member of the extended squad in November 2011 and also of that assembled to prepare for the 2011 Six Nations tournament, was logically selected for World Cup in New Zealand. It remains to be seen, at just 25 years of age, which role he will play- lead actor or understudy. In any case he has found his place in rugby. Fulgence Ouedraogo was born in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso but was raised from the age of three by a French couple in the Hérault region, far from his blood relatives. Nothing happens by chance, however: in Mossi, a Burkina Faso dialect, Ouedraogo means galloping horse.