Should we continue to play with the health of Louis Bielle-Biarrey? It is undeniable, the player is exceptional. With an incredible speed and a remarkable address, with the feet or with the hands, the winger may one day be the best finisher in the history of French rugby. But at just 22 years old – he celebrated them on June 19 -, Bordeaux is also a fragile young man, whose body sends disturbing signals.
In recent weeks have still proven it. “Pleat”, victim of a “small concussion” against Vannes in the last match of the regular season, a diagnosis contradicted half-word this Friday by his coach Yannick Bru (“It was not a declared concussion, it was we who declared it”), the French international was long uncertain for the final of the Top 14 this Saturday against the Stade Toulousain.
Thanks to a “spectacular change” earlier this week, he was finally established on his left wing. Amazing, even for his manager. “After the semi-final, I guarantee you that deep inside me had the image of Louis in slow motion, not very happy,” he said before the match. He was dismissed for the final, sincerely. And then at the start of the week, he met many specialists, he did 10/10 on his neurological tests. Then, the UBB tried, the young Isérois also insisted to hold his place.
And yet, it is clear that the bet is missed. Aimed by Toulouse references, hands on the thighs from the 4th minute, the tricolor international was the shadow of himself, unable to respond to the delirious intensity of such a match. The second dismissal also escaped him from the hands by touching the ground, when he had skillfully captured it in the air.
Damian Penaud took over
The rest of his match was not more brilliant. Boxing after having received a blow in the lower back, unable to find the opening in a red and black defense found, Louis Bielle-Biarrey alternated the means and the bad. “LBB” could never make its speed speak and ended up being replaced at the break. Should we see the proof that its place was not on a field this Saturday evening?
“It’s a combat sport. There will probably be one or two injured during the match and it can even come across players in full possession of their means, “had tried to justify Yannick Bru. Certainly. But when one of them is the victim of violent migraines and vomiting after certain matches, isn’t the danger even bigger?
Fortunately for them, the Bordelais were able to count on another very high level winger. Codetentor of the record of the number of tests registered with the XV of France, Damian Penaud did the best: to mark. Put in orbit by a marvel of pass at the foot of Maxime Lucu, the former Clermontois maintained his team alive while the Toulousains camped in the Bordeaux camp. In the second half, his intervention on the third test of Petti was also decisive.
Touched by several injuries this season, the son of Alain Penaud has the magic power to be in good shape during the major meetings. He had also returned just in time to register a double in the Champions Cup final against Northampton. A meeting where Louis Bielle-Biarrey had been discreet again.
Its day before the match had been frightening. “Loulou made discomfort, he fell asleep on the bus between the hotel and the stadium,” said UBB president Laurent Marti in the euphoria of his club’s coronation. After his first tackle, he said: I don’t really know where I am ». The answer is now clear: with 30 games on the clock this season, Louis Bielle-Biarrey is on the verge of physical rupture.
