2023-10-18 08:58:46
He is young, very young, but already expresses himself with intelligence. First player from the French XV to give a post-elimination interview, winger Louis Bielle Biarrey, 20 years old, described for the Team all the sadness that fell on the French players after the match against the South Africans, in the locker room. “It wasn’t denial, but a little all the same,” says “LBB”. We told ourselves that it wasn’t possible […] We knew we had three finals to play. Unfortunately, we lost the first one. I think we really had the means to go all the way. The group is aware that it missed a huge opportunity to make history in France. »
These words reflect all the frustration of a match that the Blues had in hand but which they ended up letting go under the blows of tough South Africans. “There was more than room to pass but we made two or three mistakes which cost us as many tries in the first half. They played their game very well too, he summarizes. In terms of contact and physical density, I have rarely played matches that were so intense.”
And that of the referee, Ben O’Keeffe, widely criticized? “We debriefed him a little. It’s true that some situations do not work out in our favor. But it is not over two or three small actions that we lose the match. The refereeing was not with us but we were too imprecise in certain areas. This may be the last straw, but the vase was already full. »
In short, it’s difficult to swallow. Even for him, a revelation from this World Cup on the French side and who didn’t necessarily expect to be there. “It’s hard to say that it’s over suddenly after everything we went through for three months together,” says the Bordeaux-Bègles player. I had the opportunity to play more than I thought and gain experience. I didn’t ask myself any questions. And the fact of not really realizing, because everything is going really fast, helped me a lot. My carefree attitude was the best way to escape the pressure. »
Even if he now assures that he does not have a “new status” with the XV of France, Bielle Biarrey will be expected at the Six Nations Tournament, at the start of 2024, for confirmation in blue. Before that, we will have to rest, return to the club and resume a “normal” life. “The more the weeks pass, the more I will realize and the more I will perhaps have regrets too. The return to reality will be brutal. I want to take a break from rugby, to unwind, to spend some quality time with the people I love. »
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