While all eyes are on the availability of scrumhalf Antoine Dupont, France wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey reckons flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert has what it takes to oust the world champions in their Rugby World Cup quarterfinal in Paris on Sunday.
Jalibert replaced star pivot Romaine Ntamack, who missed the World Cup on home soil because of a knee injury.
And Bielle-Biarrey says of the 24-year-old: “Matthieu is doing very well at replacing Romain [Ntamack]. In this quarterfinal, he is in one of the key positions to win the match.
Comme un parfum de 𝗾![CDATA[]]>𝘂![CDATA[]]>𝗮![CDATA[]]>𝗿![CDATA[]]>𝘁 𝗱![CDATA[]]>𝗲 𝗳![CDATA[]]>𝗶![CDATA[]]>𝗻![CDATA[]]>𝗮![CDATA[]]>𝗹![CDATA[]]>𝗲... 🇫![CDATA[]]>🇷
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) October 9, 2023
Les Bleus sont de retour au @StadeFrance dimanche à 21h00 face à l'Afrique du Sud 🔥#UnisPourUnRêve #RWC2023 #XVdeFrance pic.twitter.com/0UnhRSdLT2
“We will need him to create some situations, to be accurate and to play smart. Matthieu is used to playing these kind of matches, he’s got some caps under his belt.
“I don’t think he’s putting pressure on himself. As often, he’ll be up to the challenge.”
France beat South Africa 30-26 in November last year. Bielle-Biarrey didn’t play in that match, but says: “They [the players who played] said they are a very physical team and that it was a high-intensity rugby match. It’s going to be a big challenge in terms of physicality. They also said it was one of the hardest matches they have ever played.”