Union Bordeaux B\u00e8gles\u2019 early exit from the Top 14 will not result in two of France\u2019s best talents making the trip to New Zealand to face the All Blacks, according to reports.<\/p>\n
The back-to-back Investec Champions Cup winners were edged 31-34 by ASM Clermont in the final round of the Top 14 regular season, thanks to a late drop goal from one-cap All Black Harry Plummer.<\/p>\n
That result meant that UBB finished eighth overall on the standings and ended their season as they failed to reach the knockout stages of the tournament.<\/p>\n
Hopes that Bordeaux\u2019s early end to the season would mean that star players Louis Bielle-Biarrey<\/a> and Matthieu Jalibert<\/a> could turn out against New Zealand in July look to be dashed with reports in France<\/a> stating that the duo were not included in the preliminary squad list communicated to Bordeaux by the French national team.<\/p>\n Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Matthieu Jalibert to miss All Blacks Test<\/p>\n Fabien Galthie reportedly omitted the duo from his preliminary squad list due to the number of minutes that they have racked up this season with UBB. The France boss has set a 25-match and 2,000-minute playing time limit, tallies both players have exceeded this campaign, which makes them exempt from selection.<\/p>\n That is according to French publication Sud Ouest<\/a>, who state that while 2025 World Rugby Player of the Year nominee Bielle-Biarrey and fly-half Jalibert won\u2019t be included in the squad, some of Bordeaux\u2019s best could still be involved.<\/p>\n Club captain Maxime Lucu has expressed enthusiasm in featuring for France this July, and due to injuries during the season, the 33-year-old played 22 matches for UBB and 1,569 minutes. Jalibert racked up 27 appearances for Bordeaux (1,950 minutes) and Bielle-Biarrey 31 matches (2,295 minutes). Furthermore, it is reported that winger Bielle-Biarrey, who was voted as the Six Nations Player of the Championship<\/a> for a second year in a row, has also decided to take the summer off.<\/p>\n Centre Yoram Moefana also has a good chance of making the squad that will face the All Blacks<\/a>, Wallabies and Japan in July, the latter of which will also take place in Australia.<\/p>\n Sud Ouest also reports that veteran loosehead prop Jefferson Poirot could come out of international retirement this year after holding talks with Galthie during this season. The front rower hung up his Test boots in 2020, citing the desire to focus on his club and family.<\/p>\n The 33-year-old reportedly told the French head coach that he is open to returning to the international fold this year, a boost for Les Blues considering Cyril Baille\u2019s decline and the lack of depth behind Jean-Baptiste Gros. Poirot earned 30 Test caps for Les Bleus before hanging up his boots and rediscovered some of his form this season with Bordeaux.<\/p>\n A further weakened team could arrive in New Zealand if Toulouse reach the Top 14 final with Galthie generally drawing a ton of his squad for the French giants including the likes of Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack, Anthony Jelonch, Francois Cros, Emmanuel Meafou, Thibaud Flament and many others.<\/p>\n All Blacks: New Zealand Rugby set \u2018no later than\u2019 deadline on Dave Rennie decision<\/a><\/p>\n