France youngster Bielle-Biarrey ready to shine against Uruguay

France's Louis Bielle-Biarrey made quite an impression with his silky footwork in his first Test, scoring a try in a preparation match against Scotland, and on Thursday the electric winger will become his country's youngest player to feature at a World Cup.

The 20-year-old made the squad after featuring in three warm-up games and, while he is behind the likes of Damian Penaud and Gabin Villiere in the pecking order, all eyes will be on the Bordeaux-Begles player when he starts against Uruguay in pool A.

Bielle-Biarrey has only played 28 matches in the French Top 14 since his debut in January 2022 as he also pursues business and administration management studies.

“I've got some catching up to do. When it comes to studying, it's obviously more complicated. It's going to take a little longer, but I intend to see it through,” Bielle-Biarrey said on Tuesday.

At Lille's Pierre Mauroy stadium, Bielle-Biarrey, who also plays at fullback, will be 80 days younger than Romain Ntamack when the flyhalf made his World Cup debut in Japan in 2019.

“It doesn't mean much to me. I'm happy to hear it, but it's not going to help us become world champions.

“Obviously I'm very happy [to start]. Everything's happened so fast for me. I don't really realise.”

Bielle-Biarrey has quickly adapted to being in a world-class 33-man squad after going through the whole preparation, making the cut from a group of 42.

“Emilien [Gailleton, also 20] was there during the camps. We shared a room, and that helped us both integrate. Now we're a group of 33, we all have different roles but we're all involved,” said Bielle-Biarrey.

“The competition is long so we're all focused on being ready when we're needed.”

Uruguay welcomed back scrumhalf Santiago Arata, star of their 2019 World Cup victory over Fiji, as they named their team for the intimidating clash on Thursday.

The live wire Arata seized on a loose ball to notch the crucial first try in the 30-27 defeat of Fiji at the last World Cup that showed what Uruguay are capable of. They will need every ounce of luck, however to try to keep the score competitive, let alone dream of victory, against a France team that swept aside the All Blacks in the opening game and are many fans' favourites for the trophy.

An experienced Uruguay match day squad contains 11 survivors in the starting line-up from that 2019 tournament and three more on the bench. Key among them is flyhalf Felipe Etcheverry, a rugby sevens stalwart capable of a clean break when in space as much as he controls the game with kicks out of hand.

Andres Vilaseca of French club Vannes captains from inside centre against a France side that made sweeping changes but will still pose a monumental challenge for the South Americans.

TIMESLIVE WORLD CUP PROFILES

Pools:

Pool A | Pool B | Pool C | Pool D

Star players:

Damian Penaud, France | Canan Moodie, South Africa | Selestino Ravutaumada, Fiji | Ardie Savea, New Zealand | Will Skelton, Australia | Johnny Sexton, Ireland | Antoine Dupont, France 

All the World Cup pools, fixtures and results here