The young Nicolas Depoortère, 21, released to his club, there are “only” five representatives of the back line of the Union Bordeaux-Bègles to appear on the match sheet for the France – Ireland clash this Friday evening (9 p.m., France 2). But there is a world in which the coach, Fabien Galthié, could have chosen six Girondins: two in the hinge (Lucu-Jalibert) and the three-quarter line (Bielle-Biarrey, Moefana, Depoortère, Penaud) with the “intruder », from Toulouse, Thomas Ramos. Almost unheard of in the recent history of the French XV, even if Stade Toulouse or ASM Clermont have also experienced sunny periods for their backs.
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With Louis Bielle-Biarrey as a “finisher”, the expression dear to Fabien Galthié, they will finally be four UBB players to launch the Tournoi des Bleus, three and a half months after their elimination in the quarter-finals of the World Cup. From this cruel defeat against South Africa (28-29), have the lessons been learned? Is it to minimize the risk of bad receptions on high balls that Yoram Moefana (23 caps), club center, will take his place on the wing? Damian Penaud (48 caps, 35 tries) will take care of the other side and the two men will wait for good balls from the pair of halfbacks Maxime Lucu-Matthieu Jalibert, who has been working so well at UBB in recent weeks.
