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'He's the best... the only one who comes close to him is Cheslin Kolbe'

France's wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey (C) reacts after scoring a try during the Six Nations international rugby union match between France and Italy at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, northern France, on February 22, 2026. (Photo by Sameer AL-DOUMY / AFP via Getty Images)

Simon Zebo is backing French superstar Louis Bielle-Biarrey to become one of the game’s all-time greats and break the heart of his close mate Finn Russell and Scotland at Murrayfield this weekend.

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The Bordeaux superstar has scored four tries in this season’s tournament on top of the eight he scored last season, and England were the last team to stop him scoring in a Six Nations game in March 2024.

He has crossed the whitewash 24 times in 25 Test matches, and former Ireland and Lions tourist Zebo believes that he could be one of the best of the lot, possibly only with the exception of the great Jonah Lomu.

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“He’s the best in the world, I think, by a good distance at the minute, in terms of wing play. I think at the moment, the only one who comes close to him will be Cheslin Kolbe. He’s at that level.

“He’s finishing, all-round game, not just his speed on the edge, passing, and defensive ability. His reading of the backfield. He is the all-round package. The gold standard setter when it comes to wing play.

Simob Zebo
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“It’s crazy to think how young he still is, and scoring so many tries for fun and having a massive impact on the national team, which is already full of massive amounts of talent. He’s probably my favourite player to watch at the moment.”

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Zebo believes that Bielle-Biarrey might be the master on the pitch, but he faces a fight to match the global appeal that the late All Blacks legend Lomu had off it.

“He mightn’t be the global figure that Jonah was. It’ll be very hard to compete with Jonah, to be fair, who was a one of one, actually.

“I’m sure Bielle-Biarrey will go down as one of the all-time greats, like some of my heroes like Brian Habana and Joe Rokocoko. Jonah is still another level, and prime Jonah Lomu was a cheat code.

“To change the game completely and have such a global impact so early on, and yeah, who to this day is probably the best to ever do it, you know, in most people’s eyes.

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“So that’s a hell of a standard to hold Bielle-Biarrey to, but I do think he is an incredible player, and he will have an amazing career, smash loads of records; but Jonah was a one of one,” he adds.

Zebo believes that if Scotland are to win the game, it will need his former Racing 92 team-mate Russell to pull the strings from the very start.

“If Scotland are going to have a chance, any say in this game, you’d imagine Finn’s going to have a massive impact on that. So they’re going to need to keep that French back row at bay, keep them away from the ball.

“That will give Finn that extra second on the ball, as well as quick ball from the scrum half, allowing him to get the outside backs into the game, but it’s hard to see past the French this weekend.”

Simon Zebo is part of the Premier Sports team bringing live UK coverage of Scotland v France from Scottish Gas Murrayfield this Saturday in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations (Premier Sports 1 from 1.30 pm). Join in at www.premiersports.com @premSportsTV for more than 400 elite rugby fixtures every season, including EPCR, URC and Top 14.

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Comments

32 Comments
F
FC 36 days ago

Gee I dont know. At least Cheslin can beat Scotland….

r
rs 36 days ago

And after Scotland taught France a rugby lesson today you could see two things: Kolbe streets better and has proven it beyond any southern/northern doubt; and Fourie du Preex never played as badly Antoine du Pont (never ever) and yet the north keeping pumping how great he is. His performance very very poor. Only plays reasonably well in France

D
Draft 36 days ago

Wouldn't Will Jordan be up there as a top winger/fullback. He has scored 45 tries in 54 games. Chesin Kolbe is nowhere near that strike rate

p
pm 36 days ago

Good article

D
DC 36 days ago

It’s adorable when the SH thickos pipe in to spew. Shows the dangers of a third world education to the civilised world.

A
Archibald 36 days ago

Hey naaigie, did you see Italy humiliate England today (or was it busy on the backseat)?


Do you know who warned the world that Italy is a dangerous team?


It was Rassie. That’s right, it was a Saffa, Rassie, the Springbok coach. Rassie the rugby genius. Rassie, the guy who coached the Bokke to two successive world titles.


How butt hurt are you now?

A
Archibald 36 days ago

Oh, naaigie … Is life on the taxi’s backseat getting boring?

D
Dan Gouws 36 days ago

Untill he plays SH sides, then he looks pretty ordinary.

F
Flankly 36 days ago

I wish the rugby world would stop this best player BS. It's nothing short of stupid.


Nobody will argue about the top echelon of wingers. There are maybe two dozen that you would say are/were awesome. But pub debates about Lomu vs Biele-Biarray are just drunken time wasting.


Game plans win games. NZ failed in the 1995 RWC final because SA executed a better game plan. Lomu was successfully contained and NZ had no plan B. Similarly, Kolbe, BBA, Duhan and other wingers will all be measured on how they maximize the game plan, not on how they deliver heroics.


Fans and commentators don't like that because it's simpler and more fun to talk about heros.

R
Richi 37 days ago

LLB is Great to watch and hopefully get better and possibly be one of the greats, Kolbe is on another level to LLB and has showcased that for us all to see.

n
n 37 days ago

Brian Habana scored 57 international tries in a Bok team that kicked everything. He also scored those tried mainly playing in the Tri-Nations which had the 3 best teams that won the most World Cups amongst them.

LLB is playing against teams like Italy and Wales. He did nothing against the Boks in 2 outings and was made to look pretty average. To say he is better than Kolbe is laughable. Kolbe is more complete than both Habana and Lomu.

w
ww 36 days ago

Bro have you not noticed that responding to any person from north you wasting your time? Kobe won World Cup twice in row and became the most contributor of those tries that won us World Cup in 2019 against England and in 2023 against all black…. Even Dupont not way close to Kolbe and Arense bc this guy competed against top tier or top 3 teams and they scored in World Cup… Dupont he is good against north not in the world.

H
Hellhound 37 days ago

Habana ended with 67 international tries

G
GS 37 days ago

The Boks have wings that can catch LBB, hence, zero tries vs Boks. Arendse chased him down shortly after half-time last November.

LBB cannot side-step, needs open space or chip ahead. Kolbe has the step to make room.

T
TI 37 days ago

I’m always rolling my eyes with those comparisons. Could we stop comparing people to Lomu and Habana, please? LBB is great at the moment, he’s a massive talent, but he needs years at the very top, and international silverware to earn the right to be mentioned in the same sentence with the two best wingers in history.


It’s like comparing every fly half to Carter and Wilkinson. I understand, that Zebs is trying to create a headline, but this is too tacky, too tabloid-y.

Let’s meet again in 10 years and evaluate LBB’s career.

N
NootTheRich 37 days ago

He's got a Grand Slam, that's some silverware. Lomu never won a 15s World Cup, which just makes clear that any GOAT debates that appeal to team silverware is nonsense. Lomu’s the greatest winger, without a doubt, but Zebo is making the point that LBB has the potential to hit the heights of Habana and Lomu. Given the record LBB has at such a young age, I'd say he's in with a chance of it.

R
RK 37 days ago

LBB better than Cheslin Kolbe is a stretch, great player though.

P
PR 37 days ago

No doubt LBB is an exceptional player but his two outings against the Boks have been disastrous. Couldn’t handle the high ball in the World Cup game and the Boks scored two tries down the left flank. And last year he went MIA until he intentionally slapped down a pass and got yellow carded. Seems he is great on the front foot but not so much when his forwards are being bullied and going backwards.

J
J V 37 days ago

I think the French team was not trained properly to handle the high balls until this 6 nations. In the last three games he was excellent in this aspect. As fl wrote, he' is still very young and can progress in many ways !

f
fl 37 days ago

at the world cup, LBB was 20! agree he had a poor game against the Boks last year.


how good is Kolbe when he forwards are being bullied and going backwards?

b
benny_pea 37 days ago

Excellent point, he’s lacking slightly defensively

H
Hammer Head 37 days ago

Sure. But Kolbe’s dad will beat LBB’s dad in a fight.

J
J V 37 days ago

Good one :)

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