Jean-Baptiste POUX

Biog of Jean-Baptiste POUX :

Jean-Baptiste Poux’s versatility has led to a strange paradox. In his 28 selections since 2001 he has only been named in the starting line-up 12 times. He has been to two World Cups (2003 and 2007) but did not win a single cap in the intervening years. And he has not been first pick once in the Lièvremont era although he has a Grand Slam win (2010) to his name nevertheless (coming off the bench three times). That Poux’s international career has not been straightforward is the least that can be said.

Poux’s career at Toulouse, since his arrival from Narbonne in 2002, has been the complete opposite however. Three-time-winner of the European Cup, for all three of which he was in the starting line-up, once as tight-head (2003) and twice as loose-head (2005 and 2010). He also has French Championship medals (2008, 2011) to his name both as replacement, and he has twice been a losing finalist in 2006 (start) and 2003 (replacement). To all this Poux can add two runners-up medals in the European Cup, one in the starting line-up (2004) and one as replacement (2008). In short, Poux’s CV reads like that of many of his generation at Toulouse. But for that to happen he first had to earn his place at the biggest club in Europe. And Poux did!

So his caps have come as surprises - and sometimes very big surprises, a notable example being in 2003 when, “taking advantage” of an injury to Pieter de Villiers, he was called up to the squad for the World Cup in Australia. And then, “taking advantage” of another injury, this time to Sylvain Marconnet, he was selected at tight-head prop for four of France’s seven matches. Poux was clearly behind the two propping legends, Marconnet (83 caps) and De Villiers (69) in the pecking order and was even behind a third, Olivier Milloud (49), who failed to make his mark in 2003 but who became an ever-present for the following four years. So Poux was all the more happy to be included, albeit at the last minute, in the 2007 World Cup squad. With Marconnet injured (again), his rival for the third prop place was Nicolas Mas who had made the position of tight-head his own since 2008. This time Poux’s versatility won the day.

Poux played, then, as a replacement, in the incredible quarter final against New Zealand, contributing fully by holding Hayman in the scrums and making a last-gasp tackle on a speeding All-Black player who had broken through the Tricolores’ first line of defence.

In 2008 and 2010 (and before the two games against Ireland in August) Marc Lièvremont selected Poux a total of eight times but picked the young Jerome Schuster last November and the old-timer Sylvain Marconnet for the 2011 Six Nations tournament. Nevertheless it was Poux’s name that was first on the list when the squad for the World Cup in New Zealand was announced on the 11 May. It would be Poux’s third! Available places depended on the return to form of the two first-pick loose-head props, Fabien Barcella and Thomas Domingo, who had long-term injuries but were picked in the squad, and the form of his direct competition in the role as back-up, Sylvain Marconnet, who can play tight-head or loose-head like himself. In the end, after the two friendly games against Ireland in August it was Domingo (still injured) and Marconnet (Lièvremont’s choice) who went home. “Mr World Cup”, who played for the Cheminots de Béziers before moving to Narbonne where Pierre Berbizier picked him for the first team before he was even twenty, will compete in his third World Cup…