His youthful idol is Jonny Wilkinson, whose drop in the 2003 World Cup final he watched until more thirst. When he joined the locker room of Racing 92 professionals, the number ten of the Ile-de-France club was named Dan Carter.
And to stay in the references or models, Antoine Gibert is this season the official lining of Finn Russell.
But the Scotsman suspended for three weeks after his red card against the Blues in the last match of the Six Nations Tournament, it is the 23-year-old young man, able to evolve at the opening or behind the scrum, who will start as opener this Sunday (1:30 p.m., BeIN Sports) in the quarter-final of the European Cup against Bordeaux-Bègles.
𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕡
𝕓𝕪
𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕡
💫 direction Bordeaux and 𝕢𝕦𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕕𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕖 💫 # UBBvR92 #RacingFamily pic.twitter.com/w7RTZBFd42
- Racing 92 (@ racing92) April 9, 2021
"He has been in good hands with all the great forerunners who have come here," assures his trainer, Laurent Travers.
It's up to him to be able to command and show all his talent.
"" He landed among the pros in a locker room filled with internationals at the hinge, says his friend from the Racing 92 training center, today in Brive, Matthieu Voisin.
He's got this double 9-10 hat and got to see how guys like Carter, Lambie and Machenaud work.
It gave him a lot of things, especially since they all helped put him at ease when he started.
"
“Antoine has this respect for the elders, but he quickly felt at ease in this environment,” says his father, Didier, who closely followed his son's career, which began in Boulogne-Billancourt.
We raised him in rugby, it was a family project, and we have always been very present in these tournaments with his mother and sister.
His grandfather, Pierre Mayet, also played for ASM.
As a child, Antoine spent his holidays in Auvergne training himself to shoot at the foot between the trees in the garden.
"
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Launched among the pros in 2016-2017, “Gibus” takes advantage of the recurring absence of Russell, recalled in selection, to have fun this season.
Established eleven times in the Top 14, he is the opening half the most requested by the staff, who nevertheless have the possibility of putting François Trinh-Duc or shifting the Australian Kurtley Beale to this position.
With, as main feat of arms, a penalty included in the stoppage time to offer the derby against the Stade Français to his club in October (27-25).
But Gibert shines especially in the offensive game, where like a Russell, he does not forbid himself much.
"Today, he is filled"
“He is technically very comfortable,” says the director of the Hauts-de-Seine club training center, Christophe Mombet.
Younger, he was a bit of a dilettante, especially off the field with studies, which pursued him more than the other way around
(Laughs).
But when he got to the pros, he understood that he had to work.
It is someone who clings.
He did both knees before entering the cross, and he never let go.
"
At Racing 92, Antoine Gibert is at home.
Arrived in 2011, the young man has his band of friends, his father among the volunteers and lived in a shared apartment with the second line Boris Palu, also holder in Gironde on Sunday.
“Today, he is satisfied,” says Matthieu Voisin.
He continues the matches, gains confidence.
It's easier for him after seasons when he has been chomping at the bit.
"
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In Bordeaux, Antoine Gibert will have as vis-à-vis Matthieu Jalibert, international and one of the French references of the moment.
Despite his year more than the Girondin, he is not there yet.
Or just not there yet?
“He's an incredible player, a crack, enthuses Irish second row Donnacha Ryan.
His handling of the game is fantastic.
He is young, but he is already very demanding.
I think he will be a great player.
And Racing is lucky to have it.
"
MATCH SHEET
Bordeaux-Bègles - Racing 92
(Sunday, 1:30 p.m., BeIN Sports)
Referee: M. Carley (Ang.).
Bordeaux-Bègles:
Buros - Cordero, Moefana, Lamerat, Lam - (o) Jalibert, (m) Lucu - Petti, Higginbotham, Woki - Cazeaux, Douglas - Cobilas, Maynadier, Poirot (cap.).
Entr.
:
Urios.
Replacements: Dweba, Kaulashvili, Tameifuna, Jolmès, Roumat, Lesgourgues, Seuteni, Ducuing.
Racing 92:
Boffelli - Dupichot, Klemenczak, Beale, Imhoff - (o) Gibert, (m) Machenaud (cap.) - Chouzenoux, Joseph, Lauret - Ryan, Palu - Gomes Sa, Chat, Ben Arous.
Entr.
:
Cross.
Alternates: Baubigny, Gogichashvili, Colombe, Jones, Diallo, Iribaren, Trinh-Duc, Taofifenua.