A debut in the Blues, a Top 14 final, notable tries, assumed leadership… Everything is happening very quickly for the young center Nicolas Depoortere who savors for the AFP his pleasure of evolving within the fiery attack of Bordeaux-Bègles.
Q: Seeing your determination against Stade Français (46-26), your heavy defeat in the final against Toulouse (59-3) doesn’t seem to have traumatised you?
A: “We had to move on. Last season is over, it’s in the past, we learned lessons from it, things to improve on. A new season is starting with new players that we have integrated well. The preparation was easier because we had all the internationals apart from Tama (Ben Tameifuna) and (Tevita) Tatafu. The game plan was imbued by everyone, we saw it in the two friendlies and against Stade Français. We will try to repeat the same season by finishing it better.”
Q: Stade Français, which you beat in the semi-finals last season (22-20), is nevertheless renowned for its defense…
A: “We suspected that he would come back with a vengeance because losing a semi-final by two points still sticks in your craw. We felt this rage to come and beat us at home but we didn’t put any pressure on ourselves. We wanted to send a message, and that’s what we did. We put on a great game, especially in Chaban where it’s extraordinary to play.”
Q: What feeling do you have when you play in this three-quarter line?
A: “It’s enjoyable. We have a great team, we’re a great group of friends, we all get along really well. It starts there and you can feel it on the pitch. We have a game plan that makes us feel comfortable. Noel (McNamara, backs coach) has given us a lot and it’s getting easier with the players we have.”
Q: Last season, you were discovered as the group leader. Isn’t it easy at 21 to assert yourself through your words?
A: “Yannick (Bru, manager) is giving me this chance to join this group of leaders. I appreciate this role that I had tried in the U20s, in the youth teams, I have no problem expressing myself to others. I am honoured to do this at the Union because it is my favourite club. I am rather comfortable when I have mastered the subject. If we are talking about a medical thesis, it will be a little more complicated (laughs).”
Q: “What did you learn in your first full pro season?
A: “A lot of things. It was extraordinary but also very hard because a Top 14 season is long, it’s a lot of work, you must never give up. At certain times, I was in a slump physically and mentally, it wasn’t easy. But no rugby player can be 100% in top form for a season.”
Q: For you, did this become apparent after the Tournament?
A: “When I came back to the club, I was physically tired, I had given a lot at the start of the season when we had played 17 matches. But it’s not just me, we are full of players with a super high number of matches over the season and it showed in the final: we were completely +oxy+ after 20 minutes of play.”
Q: Apart from the Brennus, you have achieved all your objectives. It still went very quickly…
A: “Everything is going very quickly, after that you have to keep your feet on the ground, continue to work because everything can stop and that’s really not the goal. I’m going to give everything to keep it going, to keep it all beautiful, all rosy. I have my parents, my brother who are always there around me, guys at the club who know how to bring us back down to earth. But as I said, we’re a good group of friends, we all pull each other up for one goal. I hope we’ll get there.”
Interview by Raphaël PERRY
rap/gf/fs
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