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Watch: Matthieu Jalibert puts Ntamack on notice with untouchable performance
By Sam Smith
Flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert has delivered a masterclass for Bordeaux Begles in their comprehensive 33-13 win over Top 14's bottom-placed club Brive, scoring one try and setting up another.
Facing off against Argentinian rival Nicolas Sanchez, Jalibert delivered an 18-point performance for Bordeaux showing off his speed, agility and skill beating 12 defenders on the night.
With scores locked at 3-all after 25 minutes, Jalibert found centre Jean-Baptiste Dubie with a lovely pass putting his 13 into a yawning gap after attacking the line of 14-man Brive, who had received a yellow card.
The assist by Jalibert put Bordeaux up 10-3 and two more penalties by Jalibert extended the lead out to 16-6.
With half an hour to go a botched lineout gave Bordeaux possession inside the five, giving the No 10 the platform to attack the line and slice through multiple defenders.
The confident flyhalf fended off the inside man while the struggling Brive defence drifted wide to try and cover the overlap. A smiling Jalibert placed the ball down gently near the dead ball line to give his side an unassailable 23-6 lead.
A rolling maul try by the Bordeaux pack with 15 minutes to go was the final nail in the coffin before a late try by Brive added some respect to the 33-13 scoreline.
Jalibert dazzled with ball-in-hand, at one point beating half the Brive pack down the skinniest of corridors down the sideline after fielding a kick.
He danced his way past three forwards before finding an offload in the tackle of the fourth.
His scintillating form continued after a magic chip and chase try last week where he regathered his own kick in the in-goal after one bounce.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">🎩Matthieu Jalibert.<a href="https://t.co/e0sAP68CD6">pic.twitter.com/e0sAP68CD6</a></p>— Periodismo Rugby (@Perrugby) <a href="https://twitter.com/Perrugby/status/1597271617704718341?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The 24-year-old explained in his post-match interview that he thrives off criticism and actually enjoys hearing it.
“I like being in difficulty, I like being up against the wall and hearing things that are a little negative about me, it transcends me and pushes me to give the best of myself," he confided
"But I don't play to prove to anyone what I'm worth. I play to help my teammates in a difficult situation."
His teammate Jean Baptiste Dubié, the recipient of a try from the play of the flyhalf, praised him as a 'great player' for Bordeaux.
"Matthieu Jalibert is a great player. In all the teams there are great players. The hardest thing is to take on this role and since the start of the season, he has been irreproachable. We are lucky to have him with us.'
The Bordeaux flyhalf hasn't been since for France since last November, with Toulouse flyhalf Romain Ntamack taking a hold over the No 10 jersey for the national side.
Jalibert is fighting for a call up for France's 2023 Six Nations to add to his 13 caps since his debut in 2018.
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Latest Comments
In your opinion because he's a Crusader. We talk about parochialism in our game but people like you and Jacko take it to a whole new level in your consistent antagonism to Crusader players.
Go to commentsProbably blooded more new players than any other country but still gets stick. If any other coach did same , they would get ripped to shreds. When you are at the top , people will always try to knock you down.
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