Today we meet the former rugby international, Yoann Huget, in Aubervilliers. Known for having notably worn the jersey of the French rugby team, Huget is now on a different ground, that of padel. Accompanied by his playing partner during the FFT event “Padel Experience”, Mélissa Martin, he shares his experiences and his new enthusiasm for this sport.

A short break before returning to padel

“Honestly, Mélissa had more of a ball on her feet than a partner, because it's been a long time since I've played. I'm slowly getting back to padel,” Huget confesses with refreshing frankness.

Despite his amateur status, Huget insists that he regularly practices padel, even if the rugby responsibilities, such as the preparation of the next World Cup, took him away temporarily from the padel. “With the World Cup fast approaching, I had to leave the padel for my recovery,” he said.

Yoann Huget
Yoann Huget
Yoann Huget
Yoann Huget

The possibility of playing in mixed is pleasant

Huget also raises an interesting comparison between rugby and padel, discussing the place of diversity in these two sports. “In rugby, after 14 years, we no longer play with the players, because of the size. At padel, it's different there. Physics take over in rugby, so we can't afford to mix like that. But to padel, it's different,” he explains.

We note that a growing number of players or former rugby players, whether active or retired, are embarking on the padel. Asked about this phenomenon, Huget cannot help but smile. “It's true, a lot of rugby players get into padel, but we also see football players like Robert Pirès,” he says.

Le padel can be used for rugby

Regarding the applications of padel in terms of sports training, Huget believes that this sport can be beneficial for rugby players. “The footwork is quite effective in padel, and it could be used in rugby training,” says Huget.

Speaking of the future, Huget expresses his desire to continue playing padel and progress. “I'm going to start strong from the start of the school year in September. The beauty of padel, is that it takes four, so finding three partners at the same time is difficult. But Mélissa will take me in hand at the start of the school year,” says Huget enthusiastically.

Ultimately, Yoann Huget is a perfect example of sport transitioning from the rigor of rugby to the laid-back pace of padel. While continuing to honor his rugby roots, Huget embraces his newfound passion with infectious energy and enthusiasm.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovers the padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since padel is part of his life. You often see him touring France going to cover the major events of padel French.

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