Stade Toulousain: Dimitri Delibes, the ace of versatility
Alternately center or winger, the Toulousain makes his place within the red-and-black workforce.
This is called magnifying the versatility which is already the credo of Stade Toulousain. This season, Dimitri Delibes has already made nine match sheets at the Stade in three different positions, revealing himself in turn as a winger (twice), center (six) and fullback (one against Stade Français). It was in the center that he played his first European match of the season with another victory in Ireland, his main country in terms of the table of draw (victory in Limerick behind closed doors against Munster, victory in Dublin against Munster , success in Ulster, and further success in Limerick against Munster).
A new match that made him grow even more through the imposed physical dimension: “Over time, you get used to it, but these are always tough matches. »
It is therefore at the center position that he took up this level of physical challenge, which is moreover in difficult atmospheric conditions. A position that he has already always kept in the back of his mind as he has often addressed in our columns: “It is a position that was close to my heart, which put stars in my eyes. It’s a dream to wear this number at Stade Toulousain. »
A versatility that he naturally sees as an asset: “It’s sure, it’s adding a string to his bow. We’ve been talking about it for a while because in U23, I played more as a center than a winger. But I had to thicken up, fill out a bit and above all be able to string together matches because making a match is good, but the goal is to make six behind. So, this summer, we put the focus on it and I worked well on the bodybuilding. »
Closer and closer to the Blues
It then remains to keep benchmarks. Especially in the center, knowing that he has often changed partners: “I’ve been training with the pro group for five years so I’m not going to hide behind that. These are different game visions, knowing how to play your partners, knowing how to play the intervals, knowing how to play around the 9. It’s adaptation. For defensive benchmarks, the defense coach Laurent Thuéry gives us a lot of guidance, with a lot of videos. And then in training, we are not prejudiced because there is what is best. “In the end, a progression which earned him to be called by Fabien Galthié for the gatherings of the France team. A call that he experienced as a reminder: “It encouraged me, I went for it, you shouldn’t think too much in those moments. But I know that we should not rest on our achievements. We have great examples at the club of guys who are at the top level in the world and who continue to work in training. »