Tue 31 Jan 2012 | 11:21
Young hooker Christopher Tolofua demolishes fullback Juan Imoff

21
Comments

Toulouse have found an up and coming star in the form of 18 year old hooker Christopher Tolofua. He featured strongly in their 19-13 win over Racing Metro on the weekend, with two big carries in particular in what was his first Top 14 start.

The French giants suffered a hooker crisis recently as Gary Botha is out with a long term leg injury, while William Servat will be unavailable because of the Six Nations. Their cover, Georgian hooker Akvsenti Giorgadze then ruptured his groin, so he will sit out for 6 months.

They've since brought in another Georgian hooker, Jaba Bregvadze, but Guy Noves has turned to young Tolofua, and so far it's proved a success. He had a storming game against Racing Metro, including two big carries (one which was huge) and seems to be slotting in nicely.

"He's managed the last fortnight," Noves told a French newspaper. "He was looked after by the old guys, especially Johnston, who took him under his wing. But he's got physically enormous density.

"We knew he had potential. You hope for a performance like that but until they play, you never know. He's got a great future. That's why we're keeping him," he added.

Tolofua, who only turned 18 a month ago, is already part of the French academy and could possibly go on to be a permanent fixture for the national side in years to come. His standing start charge on unfortunate Argentinian fullback Juan Imoff is one of the biggest collisions we've seen this season.

Imoff left the field two minutes later. Tolofua had another impressive carry earlier in the game, as did Racing Metro center Francois Steyn, so those two have also been included in the clip below.

21 Comments

  • sankeor
    3:58 AM 05/02/2012

    At first I was like woaaaw.... most amazing hand off ever !! And yeah, maybe it is.
    But now I'm thinking more and more that Imoff was already off balance (on his heels) before the hit and not prepared at all for it (or maybe am I just looking for simple explanations). But still, amazing ! I'm trying to picture what it would have been with more speed and a lighter opponent.

  • rico76
    8:42 PM 01/02/2012

    I was in the stadium and remember asking to my friends: 'what the hell is the fatty doing on the wing?', the answer came right after with this awesome hit..!
    Great to see Tolofua (18) and Galan (20) stepping up while the first choices are with the French squad. Future looks bright (and heavy!) for Toulouse.

  • rico76
    8:36 PM 01/02/2012

    Indeed the commentator said 'Il continue ce pas de deux', well spotted. It's sometimes used in this kind of context but not very often. Pretty funny euphemism though!

  • stroudos
    2:34 PM 01/02/2012

    Well. I'm sorry to say that I don't have a lot of sympathy for Huget here. It's OK for us watching a slow-motion video, but if you're a touch judge standing 20m away, in real time this would absolutely look like an actual headbutt. How is he supposed to know that he's just playing pretend?

    By the way, did I understand the commentary correctly? As the fight developed I thought I heard "il continue, ce pas de deux" - like ballet dancing?? Is this the French equivalent of English "handbags"? Very nice expression if it is, almost up there with Bill McLaren's "they're just exchanging telephone numbers"...

  • chairmanrice
    10:13 AM 01/02/2012

    18 and 1 month and already kicking ass

  • mise
    7:41 PM 31/01/2012

    Imoff indeed.

  • frenchie
    7:40 PM 31/01/2012

    Here's a link (French TV) with the Huget incident, you'll find the details at the end of the video.

    http://www.lerugbynistere.fr/videos/le-carton-rouge-de-yoann-huget-contre-toulon-3101121541.php

    The touch line calls on the ref and tells him Huget headbut the Toulon winger. The images show that Huget didn't actually touch his opponent.

    Is a red card there harsh? I really don't know...

    Anyway it seems that the officials penalize the intention the same way as a "proper" headbut.
    Huget said he only came to separate the guys but flipped out after being provoked by the Toulon winger.

  • frenchie
    7:25 PM 31/01/2012

    Another youngster from Toulouse who really impressed me is Gillian Galan, he's 20 yrs old and weighs 120 kilos. For a flanker he's very mobile and also has great hands.

    Toulouse/Noves are so good bringing on young talent, year after year.

  • frenchie
    7:21 PM 31/01/2012

    18 yrs old and 118 kilos...good hands too!
    Indeed it's not the best tackling technic here from Imoff...

  • bnations
    7:12 PM 31/01/2012

    It almost looks like Steyn managed to poke the ball forward with his foot rather than spilling it. Fantastic run all the same.

  • bnations
    7:11 PM 31/01/2012

    Meh, it looked worse than it was. Imoff popped right back up and got back to help disrupt the movement shortly thereafter. It was poor form on Imoff's part to try a ball and all tackle on such a motor, which got him rightly dumped on his hind end.

    Now, when Tolofua bowled over the prop in the first hit; well, that was impressive. And that prop was using good form as well.

  • d-matt
    4:43 PM 31/01/2012

    And he just turned eighteen a month ago...

  • fettsack
    4:25 PM 31/01/2012

    The best part in this is that he doesn't charge at Imoff, he just pushes him with one hand. I'd love to see the result if he does the same with his shoulder.
    He's also got years ahead of him to improve, we'll need to keep an eye on him.

  • poccio
    4:14 PM 31/01/2012

    true dat!

  • thbts
    3:02 PM 31/01/2012

    He will mute a lot in the next few years...

  • stroudos
    2:59 PM 31/01/2012

    His earlier run is arguably even more impressive as it's a big tighthead prop that gets dumped on his arse!

    Very nice run from Steyn too, shame about spilling the ball at the end, unlike young Christopher. Particularly enjoyed his soft pass in the Imhoff scene - in fact, it looks like it was only when a non-front-row player got involved that the move went to shit...

  • stroudos
    2:54 PM 31/01/2012

    Ha, good spot! I didn't see that when I first watched this video - mostly I suppose becuase Tolofua didn't even flinch even as the foot was being driven into his Jacob's crackers.

  • stroudos
    2:52 PM 31/01/2012

    Eighteen!?!?!? EIGHTEEEEEEEN!?!????? That really is ridiculous!!

  • colombes
    2:33 PM 31/01/2012

    yep, i had noticed the guy these last weeks
    he is part of a top14 players colony from wallis&futuna as yann david, ali fakate, lakafia who will be very soon in the french XV

  • d-matt
    1:49 PM 31/01/2012

    This kid is a beast.

  • 1:48 PM 31/01/2012

    Imoff should get a lengthy ban for booting Tolofua in the goolies