Tanguy Lacoste is a child of rugby. His father is a former player. The young Tanguy started to touch his first balls at only four years old on the side of Vergt in Dordogne. The hopeful CA Brive opener arrived in Corrèze at the age of 9 and naturally joined the Brive rugby school. “The CAB club has always been my favorite club because my parents are from Brive. Even when I was in the Dordogne, the CAB was my club! My goal and my dream has always been to perform my first minutes as a pro in Brive.”
A dream come true two weeks ago on the side of Lyon. Tanguy played his first minutes in the Top 14 against LOU before making another appearance this time for the first time on the lawn of the Stadium in Brive last Friday against Pau in the Challenge Cup. The 19-year-old opener enjoys every minute on the pitch: “It’s extraordinary, it’s incredible! Since I was ten years old, my goal has been to be professional. So, I do everything for it. I’ve always worked hard to get there. But it’s not a purpose, I still have to work on it, especially on my weak points such as my bad foot, to be the best I can be.”
“Quade Cooper is my idol”
More than a job, Tanguy Lacoste sees rugby as a passion. “I follow rugby all the time. When I’m not playing, I watch TV on Saturdays to analyze the matches. On Sundays, I go see my friends who play for example in Malemort, Larche or Périgueux. It’s always a pleasure to get up, to go to train, on weekends, to play.”
Naturally joking, “good living” as he defines himself, Tanguy Lacoste is above all a passionate rugby player. He has in particular spent hours watching Australia games to dissect the actions of his star, his idol: Quade Cooper. The whimsical Australian opener known, in particular, for his dazzling on the ground. “Since I was little, I have watched his matches. He is my idol. All his actions are impressive, his hooks, and especially his chisteras or his passes after contact. He is a reference for me.”
Tanguy was inspired by the Australian magician but also strives to be the most complete opener possible. “I’m pretty comfortable technically, foot in hand. I’m also a good defender. Me, I see it like that the post of 10. I’m able to break, to score a try from 80 meters, to “animate, to alternate with the foot. You have to be a complete player in 10 today not just a manager, to be the centerpiece.”
A summons to an internship with the France under-20 team
For two months, the hopeful opener has been training with the CAB professional team. The staff allowed him to perform a few minutes at only 19 years old on the ground. “Today, in many clubs, young people are trusted more than a few years ago. I have to continue working but I feel that I am progressing in contact with players like Olding or Laranjeira. They are good advice like all of my teammates.”
The young opener wishes continue to progress and scrape game time here et there but already the France team under 20 wants to see what it is worth. Tanguy Lacoste was finally summoned on Tuesday to a preparation course before the Six Nations tournament. “I was surprised, but I had already done the internships at the start of the year. At the beginning of January, I had been taken for another pre-internship in Rome, which was finally canceled because of the Covid. There had been a first list that came out, I wasn’t in it. Today, I just found out that finally, I’m in the game. It was also a goal for this under-20 team.”
From the group of 45, the Bleuets staff will have to reduce the number to 26 players before the start of the tournament. Tanguy intends to give everything in training to get a place in the selection. “For any French rugby player, it’s a pride, an honor to be selected for the France team. Now it’s up to me to do a good internship and give my all to get my first selection.”
From his debut in the top 14 then in the Challenge Cup at the Brive Stadium and since Tuesday, Tanguy Lacoste has therefore received a first summons with the under 20s for a preparatory course for the Six Nations tournament. The young hope Tanguy Lacoste will be on all fronts by the end of the season.