Two trials including a tenure. In Malaga, Spain, Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang showed great dynamism. Alongside other future greats like Toulouse’s Nelson Epée, the Brive winger-back has shown himself. The result of a long process he started when he came to Brive three years ago.
In November 2020, the young but slender Brive took part in his first internship with the France team at VII. “I really like the 7” he confided to us then, _“because there is game speed, more space_. I like it a lot because it’s intense, the passes are longer, with more speed. So it puts us under a lot more stress.” However, these selections were not acquired. Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang was born in London. However, he plays for France. “My parents weren’t married” he says, “Suddenly, I had to automatically take the nationality of birth of my mother, France. I lived in England all my childhood, until my arrival in Brive” in 2019.
An atypical profile in modern rugby
Another particularity: Aaron Grandidier grew up in an environment far removed from rugby. Her mother is a sculptor. And as he soberly puts it, “I didn’t know what rugby was until I was 11”. At this age, he rather plays basketball, but his college only offers rugby. So he sets to it. He develops his style of play quite quickly. And then, he lands in Brive where from now on, he has only one dream. “I want to play on this Amédée Domenech pitch. It’s something that motivates me enormously. And suddenly, I’m waiting for my opportunity. I hope I’ll be ready when and if it arrives.”
The Londoner has also started studying graphic design remotely. He mixes sometimes, invested Instagrame under the nickname @Aztek. “It’s a passion but it’s rugby first” he reframes. “I use music as a kind of decompression, I don’t do it in a very serious way”. Nevertheless, with nearly 6,500 subscribers, Aaron Grandidier offers great decompression to his followers.
Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang must now prove that he has the makings of a good XV player. “It helps me a lot, the 7″ he confided, “It’s a good way to boost our skills for the XV”. Signed for three years in 2019, the young Franco-British is at the end of his contract.