“It doesn’t even cross our minds,” Ibanez discusses the Chalureau case

In Lille

After their great inaugural success against the All Blacks, the Blues play their second World Cup match on Thursday (9 p.m.), against Uruguay, at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Lille. On this occasion, the second line of Montpellier, Bastien Chalureau, will start on the substitutes’ bench and could come into play against the “Teros” (the nickname of the Uruguayans). Just before the start of the competition, the MHR player, who had been dismissed by Stade Toulousain, was at the heart of a lively controversy over his presence in the French team, after his conviction in November 2020 for violence and insults to racist character. A decision which he appealed and which should be retried in November.

But he received the support of the entire France group, in particular the captain Anthony Dupont. The Blues manager, Raphaël Ibanez, spoke about this matter before Thursday’s match: “Everyone spoke on the subject last week, Bastien himself. He prepared like a professional player, who is an integral part of the group. I have no particular doubts (on the welcome he will receive), It doesn’t even cross our minds.”

And the former international hooker added: “For us, what really matters is that he can express his full potential, with his teammates, and I can ure you that his motivation is very strong to meet the expectations of the group and the team. This is the challenge that awaits him tomorrow (THURSDAY).» This week, during training open to the public at the French base camp in Rueil-Malmaison, and the signing session which followed, nothing particular happened. We’ll see what the northern public thinks…