Fly-half still in hiding after being sold savage dummy from 120kg tighthead
When someone goes online searching for a textbook dummy, very rarely would they expect one of the first videos to appear to be of a tighthead prop. But Oyonnax’s Thomas Laclayat’s deserves to be recognised for his handiwork against Bayonne on Sunday.
The 24-year-old 120kg tighthead would not have believed his luck when he was put through a gap on half way by fly-half Jules Soulan that you could have driven a bus through. Laclayat rumbled through the gap, but was soon met by replacement fly-half Maxime Lafage. What happened next is not something that Lafage would want to see again, but has probably been bombarded with it over the past few days.
The prop went on to produce a rather extravagant dummy which his opposite man bought hook, line and sinker. He then put on the afterburners to run in the final 25 metres unopposed.
This gave his side a 20-12 lead with 50 minutes played in the Pro D2 play off semi final, although the hosts came back to win 32-20 and book their place in the play off final against Mont de Marsan this Sunday to earn promotion to the Top 14. The loser of that match will get another bite of the cherry though against either Perpignan or Brive.
Take a look at the try:
