He was one of the major confirmations of the 2023 World Cup. Taking advantage of the absence on injury of Romain Ntamack, Matthieu Jalibert expressed all his talent within the XV of France. But like his teammates, the tricolor opener had a hard time digesting the premature road exit from the selection led by Fabien Galkié, from the quarter-finals of the World Cup (28-29 defeat against South Africa). The moments that followed this setback are still very present in his mind.
At the bend of a long interview published in the Team magazineThe opening half of Union Bordeaux-Bègles returned to the difficult consequences of this disillusionment. First evoking the ” frustration », The native of Saint-Germain-en-Laye developed his words. “” When you devote your life to that, with this goal so strong and all the craze, to lose like that is brutal. (…) The next day, the following ten days, it’s hard to live. We cried black. Even if it only remains rugby. “”
“I always think of thinking about it”
Matthieu Jalibert, however, has not completely forgotten this famous quarter -final which returns to him still regularly. “” I always think of thinking about it. When I am alone, before sleeping. ‘Here, there, we could have made this or that choice.’ I tell myself that, on certain situations, we are poorly paid. It’s a heartbreaker. Even if I ended up evacuating it, the scar takes time to close. However, the twenty-five-year-old player withdrew a lot of positive from the World Cup. “” It’s strong, intense. It makes it grow and, even if the result is not the one hoped for, these are matches that count in a career. (…) It proved me to myself that I was able to do good things. This is the satisfaction I keep. “”
