France have named 19-year-old wunderkind Matthieu Jalibert in their team to face Ireland on Saturday in the opening round of the Six Nations.
The 19-year-old fly-half will partner Maxime Machenaud in the halves after a blistering start to the Top 14 with two tries in six games.
Jalibert only made his first start at fly-half away to Toulouse in November, after France coach Jacques Brunel, then at Bordeaux, gave him five outings at fullback.
🔴 Les Bleus sont #PrêtsAuCombat ! Découvrez la composition de l’équipe désignée par le sélectionneur Jacques Brunel et son staff pour affronter l’Irlande samedi au @StadeFrance ! #soutiensleXV #FRAIRL pic.twitter.com/vazmm3GdTm
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) February 1, 2018
It’s a remarkable rise from starting his first game at fly-half in November to starting there for France in the opening round of the Six Nations.
Elsewhere Guilhem Guirado will captain the side from the front-row alongside Jefferson Poirot and Rabah Slimani, while Clermont duo Sébastien Vahaamahina and Arthur Iturria will partner in the second-row to round out the tight five.
Yacouba Camara, Kevin Gourdon and Wenceslas Lauret will fill out the backrow, while in the centres, Henry Chavancy will partner Remi Lamerat with Teddy Thomas, Virimi Vakatawa and Geoffrey Palis rounding out the back three.
