Is it possible that France will shape up for the Six Nations without the Top 14’s in-form maestro? Not Antoine Dupont, the scrum half and captain for life, but the lieutenant outside him. Matthieu Jalibert at his peak.
Northampton Saints have just experienced Bordeaux Bègles at Stade Chaban-Delmas, losing 50-28 in a hail of offence. For his fifth successive outing, Jalibert crossed the tryline. It is Bristol Bears’ turn to welcome the European champions to Ashton Gate on Sunday for a match which, surely, will titillate.
The UBB back line has the moniker of Patrouille de France, the aerobatics unit of the French Air and Space Force. Fiji’s Salesi Rayasi has arrived from Vannes and shifted from wing to full back, taking the place of Romain Buros, to score a hat-trick against Northampton. Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey are France’s record tryscorer and the man destined to surpass him. Yoram Moefana and Nicolas Depoortère, the incumbent No13 for France, could field a one-club midfield combination internationally. If Maxime Lucu, Dupont’s France understudy, is unavailable then Martin Page-Relo, of Italy, wears No9.
Bordeaux has assembled this back line from other clubs with the exception of Depoortère, a lifelong Girondin. But of course we haven’t mentioned the star: Jalibert was born in the suburbs of Paris and spent three years in New Caledonia when his father, Jean-Jacques, was posted there by the military, but when they returned it was to the west. Bordeaux has been his city since he was little.
Jalibert’s form could force Galthié to rethink his personal pecking order
JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
This column was present at Stade Aimé Giral in Perpignan, three months ago, when Jalibert scored with a tap penalty from 90 metres. Few fly halves would have contemplated it, would have had the speed of thought and fleet of foot to outpace all suitors in a straight line over such a distance. That is what he does and has long done. He has beaten more defenders (51) than anyone in the Top 14 this season.
“There’s no point in reigniting the eternal debate about his place in the national team; it’s better to appreciate what he has to offer so we don’t regret not having fully enjoyed his performances, blinded by frustration or choked by the bitterness of more or less audible speech,” Nicolas Augot wrote this month in Midi Olympique.
“Matthieu Jalibert is giving his all right now, riding the wave on the pitch, pulling all his team-mates along with him, and adding his own devilish touches. Please, go to Chaban-Delmas to see Matthieu Jalibert. I promise, you won’t regret it. And when you’re old, we can bet you’ll tell your grandchildren about it when you pass on your love of the game.”
Apologies to Nicolas, but the eternal debate is being reignited here. It is not a typical fly-half quarrel between two men of different generations and temperaments. Jalibert and Romain Ntamack are peers, six months apart in age, and have much in common. Ntamack is the more staid option, yet we all saw him run the ball back from behind his own tryline against the All Blacks and pop a no-look pass, and he won the 2023 Top 14 final for Toulouse with a solo score from 60 metres.
The reignition stems from the highs of Jalibert’s output this season, coupled with uncertainty around Ntamack’s form. Ntamack’s class, his Toulousain connection with Dupont and contentment to be second fiddle have made him the first-choice No10 for Fabien Galthié. No half-back hinge has lined up for France more than Dupontamack, even though they have hardly shared a teamsheet internationally since the 2023 World Cup, which betrays the volatility of the national side throughout history.
Jalibert has struggled for game time for France since the World Cup
CRAIG WATSON/INPHO
Jalibert was all set to go into the 2023 World Cup as the understudy to Ntamack, winning all six of his caps in 2022-23 in the No23 jersey. Then Ntamack went down in the summer warm-ups to a knee injury and Jalibert ascended. You will need no reminding that France beat the All Blacks on the opening night but lost the quarter-final 29-28 to South Africa.
Since the World Cup, Jalibert has won only five caps. He remained at fly half for the start of the hangover Six Nations: a sizeable defeat by Ireland and draw at home to Italy. Last season he featured twice: off the bench against Japan, and from the start in the defeat at Twickenham (Ntamack was suspended). In the 2024 autumn, Galthié opted for Thomas Ramos at fly half and so Jalibert left the squad altogether. He was then dropped, along with Penaud, after Twickenham last year, with Ramos again moving up to fly half until Ntamack returned.
Is now the right time to pair Jalibert, right, and Dupont together?
BERTRAND GUAY/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
To February 5 and the upcoming Six Nations opener. A Franco-Irish encounter to commence the competition rekindles 2018. It is worth remembering the malaise in France as a rugby nation at the time. Guy Novès was sacked after a winless summer and autumn in 2017, ending with a draw at home to Japan. On the fly-half carousel, it was the time of Camille Lopez, François Trinh-Duc, Jules Plisson and Jean-Marc Doussain. Anthony Belleau, aged 21, started the autumn Tests against New Zealand and South Africa.
That November, there was a fixture in Bordeaux between French Barbarians and Maori All Blacks. The uncapped Ramos was at full back, and the fly halves were a pair of 18-year-olds: Ntamack, yet to start a Top 14 match, from the start, and Jalibert replacing Ramos at half-time.
Jalibert was in his maiden senior campaign. He ran out at full back against Oyonnax and Racing 92 before his elevation above Tian Schoeman and the injured Simon Hickey at fly half.
Two days before his 19th birthday, Jalibert missed a late penalty in a 38-37 defeat by Toulouse. It did not derail him and he continued to impress for Bordeaux, who were not the powerhouses they have since become (they finished that season tenth in the Top 14). Jacques Brunel, who had left Bordeaux to replace Novès, named Jalibert in his first France XV, emulating Billy McCombe and Neil Jenkins as 19-year-old fly halves to grace the competition.
Ntamack has been struggling with a back issue
FOTOSPORT/DAVE GIBSON/GETTY IMAGES
Sadly for France, the 15-13 defeat is recalled for three things: Johnny Sexton’s match-winning drop-goal, Jalibert’s season-ending knee injury inside the opening half hour, and a 21-year-old Dupont’s own season-ending knee injury shortly after he came on at scrum half.
It was inauspicious for Jalibert, and for the possibility of his establishing a life with Dupont at half back. Given the astounding capabilities they have as individuals, they have not reached a divine level together. With Ntamack suffering from a back injury, and with Bordeaux possibly providing the men in jerseys No11 to 14, could Galthié be tempted once more?
Bristol Bears v Bordeaux Bègles
Investec Champions Cup, Pool 4
Sunday, 1pm
TV Premier Sports