Imanol Harinordoquy: I am a No.8 not a seven

Harinordoquy warming up with Biarritz wearing the number 7 jersey...

Arguably the best No.8 in Europe, Imanol Harinordoquy is mainly playing at openside flanker for his club Biarritz. A situation he is not happy about.

“I believe to become the best in the world, you need to play at the same position week-in week-out. This is what I want to do at number eight,” says the Biarritz captain.

Despite playing 18 of the 22 games he played this year for the French giants at flanker, the 31 year-old insists: “my favourite position is number eight. I like the freedom and I think it suits my game better than flanker.”

The reason behind this move is tactical. His combination in the back-row with the highly-rated youngster Raphael Lakafia at eight and England International Magnus Lund at blindside flanker has proven to be a success for Biarritz. However, the team does not perform as well when Tongian international Samiu Vahafolau comes in at flanker and Harinordoquy moves back to eight.

Usually praised, his versatility has become a handicap for his development. “I am quite pleased of my performances this season but this switch leaves me unsatisfied,” he added.

But the Basque Warrior, his nickname since last year Heineken Cup semi-final against Munster where he played with a broken nose wearing a protective mask, insists that “wherever I play, I will give everything for the club to achieve the success we deserve. The club has a bright future ahead with all the talented youngsters coming through and I will do my best to help.”

...and wearing the No.8
with France

When playing for France, Harinordoquy has become the first choice at number eight for the last three 6 Nations campaigns having started 13 of the 15 games at this position. Once threatened by Racing Metro Sebastien Chabal earlier this season and in the 6 Nations, he has proved against Scotland, Ireland and Wales that he is the number one contender to wear the number eight jersey during this year’s World Cup in September.

He also believes that playing flanker in his club will not affect his performance in New-Zealand. “Marc Lievremont told me he considers me as an eight. As soon as the season with Biarritz is over and we start training for the World Cup, this is where I will be playing. I am used to do the switch now and I will have enough time to get ready,” he said.

For him the last 6 Nations from France was good and the shock defeat in Italy can only be a good thing for the future. “If you forget about the Italy game, I think our tournament has been good as a whole. We have to learn and grow from it to win this kind of game where we are hugely favourites.

“We have to prepare them the same way as when we are underdogs. We had the same problem in the Heineken Cup this year with Biarritz when we lost at Aironi and nearly missed out on the quarter-finals because of it. If we can manage that, we will be contenders in New Zealand,” he said.