Terminator’s back to take down best
Mathieu Babillot, one of the potential surprise packets of the tour of New Zealand arrives in Auckland fresh from a stunning and unexpected win by his side in the final of the French Top 14.
His team Castres Olympique beat the side everyone expected to win, Montpellier, 29-13 at the weekend.
The 24-year-old blindside flanker has been described as a revelation by French rugby writers.
Babillot was elevated to captain Castres during the season when regular skipper Rodrigo Capo-Ortega was injured. He has played one test for France, against Italy in this year’s Six Nations, but was in the Barbarians team that beat the Maori All Blacks last November.
Before travelling from Toulouse to join the French tour, Babillot told local media Castres had approached the final against Montpellier as if they were facing the Terminator . . . “and we all know how he ended up,” he said. “Now there are three big games that await us in New Zealand.”
Five-eighths Anthony Belleau told French media of his pride at being in New Zealand playing against the world’s best.
“When they play together, it feels like they are superhuman,” he said, praising in particular Beauden Barrett. “I had the chance to play against him during my first selection in November. His speed, his vision of the game and his technical quality are impressive.”
As for staring down the haka before the start of a test, Belleau said it felt like a privilege to experience that on the field. “It’s like when we’re going to see a movie in VIP.”