BBC Rugby Union: Bordeaux Fly-Half Matthieu Jalibert Ruled Out for Remainder of Top 14 Season
Bordeaux-Begles fly-half Matthieu Jalibert has been sidelined for the rest of the Top 14 season, the 25-year-old confirmed on social media. Jalibert suffered a torn hamstring in the final round of the league campaign, forcing him to leave the field in the closing stages of Bordeaux’s comprehensive 40-7 victory over Oyonnax.
Despite securing third place in the table with the win, Bordeaux’s triumph has been tempered by the loss of their influential No. 10 for the critical business end of the season. Jalibert will miss their home quarter-final clash against Racing 92 this Sunday.
Bordeaux have managed without the 33-cap international at times this season, most notably in their dominant 45-12 victory over Saracens in the Heineken Champions Cup round of 16. However, Jalibert’s absence will undoubtedly concern France head coach Fabien Galthie, with Les Bleus set to face Argentina and Uruguay in a two-match series shortly after the Top 14 final.
“My season is over with a torn muscle. It’s hard to accept when you put your all in to live this kind of moment.”
Fortunately for France, first-choice fly-half Romain Ntamack has returned to fitness after missing both the World Cup and the Six Nations, where Jalibert deputised for him. Despite the setback, the player remains confident in his team’s ability to achieve their “dream” in the closing stages of the season.
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