2023-10-07 11:00:06
Matthieu Jalibert on the attack during the victory of the French rugby team against Italy, Friday October 6 in Décines-Charpieu (Rhône). BENOIT TESSIER / REUTERS
Before the match between France and Italy, Friday October 6 in Décines-Charpieu (Rhône), in the suburbs of Lyon, France rugby was obsessed with replacing Antoine Dupont. The French captain’s cheekbone is, it should be remembered, in a state incompatible for a few more days with the practice of a high-intensity sport. If the official understudy of Toulouse, Maxime Lucu, gave complete satisfaction against the Transalpins (60-7), another “joker” splashed the Lyon lawn with his talent.
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At the start of the Blues’ preparation for the World Cup, Matthieu Jalibert had resigned himself to competing in the competition in the role of a luxury replacement for Romain Ntamack, the conductor of the Tricolores. Nothing to complain about: with his speed and racing sense, he was the perfect player to dynamite defenses worn down by fatigue. He could even hope to start in certain lower-stakes matches.
But on August 12 in Saint-Etienne, during a match against Scotland and on a harmless support, Romain Ntamack ruptured a cruciate ligament in his left knee. In a flash, Matthieu Jalibert had to don the number ten flocked jersey for a home World Cup. Enough to raise questions about the ability of the opening half of Union Bordeaux-Bègles to replace the playing master of Stade Toulouse, with some even imagining Thomas Ramos – usual full-back of the XV of France and still excellent against Italy – to be chosen as a replacement, as if Matthieu Jalibert, trained fly-half, did not do the job.
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But in the minds of the staff of the XV of France, just as it was natural for Maxime Lucu to replace Antoine Dupont in the event of a problem, Matthieu Jalibert was always in second position in the order of succession of the “ten” of France. ” It is written. He must believe in himself, it’s time to go”, launched Fabien Galthié at the start of the World Cup. And on Friday on the pitch at OL Park, the Bordeaux opener took charge of dispelling any remaining hesitations, criticisms or questions about his ability to lead the French XV.
A major performance
“We are satisfied, we fulfilled our first mission: to come out of the group stage undefeated. We played a complete match, we knew how to put our game together and maintain the intensity over eighty minutes”, welcomed Matthieu Jalibert after the meeting. A touch of self-satisfaction would not have been out of place as his evening performance was so accomplished. In addition to his 62 meters covered on the field, he scored a mischievous try (47th) reminding us that his support and his acceleration place him among the most dangerous players on the world circuit.
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