PARIS, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Matthieu Jalibert shone in France's Six Nations opener on Thursday, helping Les Bleus to a 36-14 win over Ireland, as the flyhalf seized his chance to impress in the absence of injured Romain Ntamack.
Making his first start for France in nearly a year, Jalibert seized the opportunity handed to him by coach Fabien Galthie after a strong club season with Bordeaux.
The 27-year-old playmaker played a pivotal role in three of France's five tries under Paris's drizzly skies.
He scored France's second try, his fourth in 36 international appearances, after receiving a blind-side pass from Antoine Dupont. Jalibert also set up Charles Ollivon's try with a deft chip-and-chase before his well-timed pass released Theo Attissogbe for a late score in the corner.
"I felt good. We really enjoyed playing this match and personally, I'm very happy," Jalibert said in the mixed zone.
"I tried to play my game and not get distracted by everything going on around me. Sometimes, in certain matches with the French team, I have a few regrets because I feel like I'm not being myself.
"That's just what I wanted tonight: to give it my all, even if everything wasn't perfect, to enjoy myself and to hold my head high at the end of the match."
The flyhalf, who started at the Stade de France for the first time since France's 29-28 World Cup quarter-final loss to South Africa, also put in a strong defensive performance, an area often considered a weakness in his game.
"It was marvellous," France defence coach Shaun Edwards said on ITV. "I thought he played really well in the World Cup for us, he defended really well in the World Cup at times, and, you know, Matthieu is a player that you're going to pay money to watch. He's such an exciting player."
France captain Antoine Dupont, who returned to the side 11 months after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, hailed his on-field connection with Jalibert.
"It went very well, I think you could see it," the scrumhalf told a press conference. "We were technically good. It's actually very positive."
(Reporting by Vincent DaheronEditing by Toby Davis)
