'I was disappointed because I should have lived it' - Jalibert after missing the Grand Slam
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Bordeaux and France flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert has expressed his disappointment in his club's medical team after missing France's Grand Slam Six Nations earlier this year.
Jalibert has struggled with injuries over the last four months and has last featured for his club in January of this year.
The Bordeaux star expressed his disappointment and anger over his recent injury struggles in an interview with French newspaper L’Equipe
'I tore the right femoral muscle of the left thigh in early December against Toulouse. The doctor underestimated my injury,' Jalibert explained.
'I resumed too quickly. So the injury reoccurred several times, I trusted the club doctor. Despite some discomfort, we pursued a protocol that was actually not the right one.'
'In the end, each time, I relapsed in such innocuous moments, like in the warm-up last time.'
'The doctor got it wrong, and I am resentful. He acknowledged, he apologised, but the damage is done. I missed some big days, it’s very complicated to live, to accept.' he added.
'Of course as a player, I want to play again as soon as possible. But it’s not my role to say whether I’m fit or not. It is that of the doctor. The decision is not up to me.'
Jalibert added that he was happy for his international teammates but could not hide the disappointment of not experiencing a Grand Slam himself.
'I was happy...and I was happy for my friends. But I was disappointed because I should have lived it.'
Jalibert is set to make his return against Montpellier on April 24 with four rounds remaining in the Top 14.
Bordeaux face La Rochelle in the Champions Cup round of 16 and head into the second leg of the competition trailing their French rivals 31-13.