The announcement was made on Wednesday by his club Blagnac, current sixth in National (third rugby division). Matéo Ibañez, son of Raphaël, the general manager of the XV of France, suffers from leukemia which forces the young 3rd line, aged 22, to put his career on hold.
“Matéo’s season ends here to make way for another match that he will lead with courage in the face of illness,” writes his club. Courage being the best word to describe the state of mind shown by our flanker. His maturity, his fighting spirit and his resilience accompanying him on the road to recovery and a fight that he will win. »
Trained in Dax, Matéo Ibañez played for Irish club University of Limerick Bohemian RFC and Stade Toulousain, before joining Blagnac last summer. Provale, the rugby players’ union, supported the young student from Insa Toulouse.