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How eye-watering Ntamack stats compare with Jalibert's numbers
By Liam Heagney
France fans hoping for a home Rugby World Cup victory in the coming months would have been devastated by the confirmation on Monday that influential out-half Romain Ntamack will miss the entire tournament.
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The Toulouse No10, who memorably guided his club to a last-gasp Top 14 title in June with an incredible try at Stade de France, lined out for his country in last Saturday’s Summer Nations Series win over Scotland in Saint-Etienne.
However, the 24-year-old son of former French start Emile had his dream of starring at the World Cup ended by Saturday’s ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
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The damage was confirmed on Monday, leaving a major void to fill in the French attack ahead of the finals which begin with the September 8 pool clash versus the All Blacks in Paris.
Ntamack has been an integral part of the French resurgence in recent times under Fabien Galthie.
17 – Romain Ntamack has been directly involved in 17 tries for @FranceRugby since the last RWC (6 tries, 11 assists), no Tier 1 fly half has been involved in more (Russell, Mo'unga also 17), while no #10 has made more line breaks than Ntamack in that period (13). Sidelined. pic.twitter.com/WwrZQQ3zUs
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) August 14, 2023
He was first capped by Jacques Brunel at the start of the 2019 Six Nations, going on to feature at that year’s World Cup in Japan, but it has been under Galthie that he accelerated his international career and became a Six Nations Grand Slam winner in 2022.
Last weekend’s match was Ntamack’s 37th cap, a tally that sadly won’t be added to until next year. His influence on the French in recent years has since been highlighted by OptaJonny in a tweet on Stat Perform’s rugby social media page.
The message read: “17 – Romain Ntamack has been directly involved in 17 tries for France since the last RWC (6 tries, 11 assists). No tier one fly-half has been involved in more (Finn Russell, Richie Mo’unga also 17), while no No10 has made more linebreaks than Ntamack in that period (13). Sidelined.”
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Those numbers would have left French fans feeling glum that Ntamack is no longer available for a campaign that also features pool games versus Uruguay, Namibia and Italy before the knockout stages.
However, OptaJonny have since published a tweet that should enthuse French fans about Mathieu Jalibert, the likely replacement for Ntamack in the No10 France jersey.
“1 – Matthieu Jalibert is the top-ranking tier one fly-half for line breaks (0.9) and defenders beaten (3.8) per 80 minutes in Test rugby since the last RWC (min. 640 mins played), while he averages a try or assist every 85 minutes, also the best rate for a No10 in that time. Cover.”
1 – Matthieu Jalibert is the top ranking Tier 1 fly half for line breaks (0.9) and defenders beaten (3.8) per 80 minutes in Test rugby since the last RWC (min. 640 mins played), while he averages a try or assist every 85 minutes, also the best rate for a #10 in that time. Cover. pic.twitter.com/EGjTSjBR9e
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) August 14, 2023
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