Nice (AFP)

Opener in selection, center in club. Romain Ntamack is only 20 years old and 12 selections in Blue but he knows what he wants: the Toulousain intends to "land" at the position of N.10, the one that makes him "want" and where "he feels good ".

"I will have to settle down in a particular position," he said, less than a week before the start of the Six Nations Tournament, already the second in his young career. Because, even though he only started pro in 2017, the versatile Toulousain has strong ideas.

"Afterwards, if there is a need to help out, no problem. But I feel good at the opening. At the Stadium, in a preparation match, in training ... I gained confidence, I have my bearings with my teammates. The opening position, I want to play it, I want to settle there ", explains Ntamack, who was not established at the opening with Toulouse that '' only once in the league (three times in the European Cup).

- Rough competition -

The competition is also tough to wear the N.10 in the French team: in addition to Ntamack, the nugget Louis Carbonel (Toulon), U20 world champion, or the fit man Matthieu Jalibert (Bordeaux-Bègles), unbeaten in championship this season, are also applying.

But that does not seem to bother "NTK", which evokes "healthy competition". "We have known each other for a long time, we have played against each other since the youngest and the smallest," he recalls. "We are very happy to be together. The competition is healthy, it allows us to improve our level of play and therefore that of the team."

Same story from the side of Bordeaux Matthieu Jalibert: "We are fortunate to have three quality players in this position, it's good for French rugby, it creates emulation. In addition, we know each other before : we have already played together, already worked together ... Obviously, it's easier to communicate, to exchange, to help each other. If we can help each other we do it. We talk after training, "there is no problem," said the UBB player recently, who also reaffirmed his desire to play at the opening and not at the back as he can do in a club.

- Programmed to win -

Ntamack however seems to be leaving with a head start. The youngest Frenchman to compete in a World Cup (20 years and 5 months), the son of the legend Emile Ntamack delivered a top flight in Japan, to the point of being designated revelation of the Tournament after having pushed Camille Lopez on the bench in decisive matches against Argentina and Wales.

Last asset, Ntamack evolves in Toulouse alongside Antoine Dupont, the factor X of the Blues. "We have been rubbing shoulders with each other for a long time in a club, we have played a lot together this season. It is an association that can be envisaged and that allows us to save time. We spend a lot of time together, we have benchmarks and automatisms that you know where you want to go, "he admits.

But to settle permanently in Blue, Ntamack the opener will also have to refine his footwork. And, perhaps, stop being so demanding with himself. Programmed to succeed, the Toulousain is known for being impassive, on and off the field. But also to complain when things are not going its way.

"I had a conversation with Clément Poitrenaud (former international, now in charge of the back at the Stade Toulouse, Editor's note). It's true that I took a step back, because I tended to be demanding also with my partners. The World Cup made me aware of many things. " No alternation?

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