Rugby World Cup 2023 / French XV – Aligned 47 times together, 5 semi-finals played… The Maxime Lucu-Matthieu Jalibert hinge in figures

This Friday, Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert will form the hinge of the French XV against Italy for the last match of the group stage of the Blues. Partners at the Union Bordeaux-Bègles for four years, the two men know each other well. Here are some figures to find out more about their association!

First association on September 7, 2019

It was during the summer of 2019 that Funny Maxime leaves Olympic Biarritz to join the ranks of the UBB. And it was during the third day of Top 14 that the Lucu – Jalibert duo saw the light of day for the first time. After starting the previous two matches on the bench, Lucu is lined up alongside the international fly-half for the trip to Castres. A match won by the Girondins on the pitch at Pierre-Fabre.

45 times tenured together at UBB…

The two men have been playing in the same jersey for four years now. And in four seasons, they have been in the same starting fifteen 45 times. 44 times, Lucu wore the 9 and Jalibert the 10. On only one occasion, the latter started the match at the back, during a match in Pau.

… for a record of 30 victories, 11 defeats and 4 draws

Not too bad in terms of results, right? This hinge changed the dimension of the Bordeaux-Bègles Union. Of the 45 matches they started, Maxime Lucu and Matthew Jalibert have won 30. With a little math, we deduce that they have a win ratio equivalent to 66.66%. A statistic worthy of an international turning point, which will have to take responsibility against the Italians this Friday evening.

5 semi-finals played, and lost

In a UBB that has become a regular at the final stages of the Top 14 and European Cups, the two internationals have played in five semi-finals in four seasons. The first was the Challenge Cup, lost in overtime in Bristol. Unfortunately for them, they have not yet managed to qualify theirs for the final.

The Lucu – Jalibert hinge lost the five semi-finals that she played and started. The latest is that of Top 14 against La Rochelle. Another important data, this hinge has not experienced the slightest defeat in the championship for almost three years, and a reception from Toulon on May 1, 2022. Their last defeat to date in Top 14 is against this same opponent, during the last day of last season, this time on the Mayol pitch.

Twice associated with the Blues

This is a lot of talk but it’s a fact: when the France group is complete, Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert are number 2 in the hierarchy in their position. Romain Ntamack’s package for the World Cup and that of Antoine Dupont for this match against the Squadra Azzurra will allow us to see the two Bordelo-Béglais start together in the French team for the third time.

Indeed, the two men had started the two test matches during the summer tour to Japan in the summer of 2022. Two matches that the Blues won in the land of the rising sun.