He is the only "new kid" to be called by Fabien Galthié.
This Tuesday, the coach of the XV of France revealed the names of the 42 players selected to start the Tournament of 6 nations.
Among them, eight have never worn the blue tunic but only Louis Bielle-Biarrey discovers the France group for the first time.
Discover five things to know about the new nugget of UBB.
Read alsoRugby: Greg Townsend, the Scottish coach, approached to join the XV of France
Trained in Grenoble...
Once is not custom, it is in Grenoble that Louis Bielle-Biarrey made his scales.
After treading his first rugby pitches with the RC Seyssins club, a town of 8,000 inhabitants in Isère.
“
At five years old, it was my parents who put me in rugby.
I immediately hooked and I never stopped
, ”confides the main interested party to
PPA Sport
.
At just 13 years old, the young Louis arrives in the big club of the region and continues his training in Grenoble.
A club that has seen the birth of Vincent Clerc, or more recently Ange Capuozzo.
Five seasons to learn at FCG before flying to Bordeaux-Bègles during the 2021 off-season, a few days after discovering the France U20 team.
... and at the opening
Like any good and young three-quarter, Louis Bielle-Biarrey is very versatile and can cover the three positions of the rear triangle.
This season, he has had five starts on the right wing and four at the back.
Yet it was in number 10 that he was formed.
He who has the English enemy but the master in the matter as an idol: Sir Jonny Wilkinson.
It was on arriving in Grenoble that “LBB” discovered a new role.
“
We had two openers in the team and the coach asked me to change position because he thought it was better for me, he was right!,
laughs the player in the columns of
Herald Scotland
.
At flyhalf you have a lot of balls but not a lot of good balls, now I have a lot of time to play, with more space.
I like both but now I prefer the full-back position.
»
Read alsoRugby: Greg Townsend, the Scottish coach, approached to join the XV of France
A “UFO” among UFOs
“
This youngster is a time bomb, we knew he was going to burst
” explains Nans Ducuing, teammate of the player on the Bordeaux-Bègles side, on
France Bleu Gironde
.
Called for the first time by Fabien Galthié, the UBB player has everything of a "UFO" as the coach likes to call these nuggets.
Very precocious, the player born on June 19, 2003 will discover the France group at only 19 years old.
He is the second youngest player in the group behind Émilien Gailleton, born on July 13, 2003. Two players so young that they were not born during the coach's last Top 14 match.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey panics all the counters.
Chipé in Grenoble without having played a single minute with the pros,
Champions Cup hat-trick
For his first tenure with Bordeaux-Bègles, Louis Bielle-Biarrey hit hard.
Very strong.
Only ten minutes in the legs against Brive for its premiere on January 8, 2022 and launched into the deep end of the European Cup the following weekend.
But the kid is fearless and scored a hat-trick for his first full match with the club in the scapular.
A match that the former Grenoble ended on the lawn despite the recommendations of Christophe Urios, coach at the time.
“
I wanted to take him out to get a standing ovation from the crowd, but he didn't listen.
“A match that the young player, taken from cramps, wanted to finish on the ground.
“
It was my first professional game in Bordeaux and my first European appearance, so it was really amazing,
remembers the player in the columns of Herald Scotland.
I was very proud and very happy at that time.
My parents, my grandparents and my brother were there.
I couldn't believe it, I thought it was a dream.
»
Accustomed to the international scene
If he discovers the great French team for the first time, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, like any self-respecting UFO, has already known the XV of France U20.
A first selection on June 25, 2021, just six days after celebrating his majority.
Nice birthday present.
Born in 2003, the young player experienced a double upgrade and played alongside players born in 2001. For his first cape against Italy, he was surrounded by Emilien Gailleton and Nolann Le Garrec, both also selected by Fabien Galthié.
“
He is a charming boy, very attentive, at ease in the exchange despite his young age,
remembers Jean-Marc Béderède, manager of Bleuets at the time, in the columns of
L’Equipe
.
“Seven selections with young people in two years and a cape with the French Barbarians on November 19, before perhaps donning the jersey of the XV of France.
