Are you relieved after this victory which leaves you alive in the race to maintain?
No. I'm proud of the guys. They had a good week and a funny match, in terms of commitment and resilience. Even tactically, I don't feel like we made many mistakes. Being able to score 33 points in the rain, at 14 and in a match with so much at stake, it's a hell of a performance which highlights our work and our convictions.
It's part of the game. Mako had a little alert already this (Saturday) morning, so we were able to anticipate and call Thomas (Moukoro) back to take his place on the bench. As for the red card, it is logical, there is no discussion. We need to control our defensive pressure more. From there, we had to adapt our strategy, which did not evolve enormously, because the weather conditions meant that we had to stay very connected to the ball carrier, use the kicking game and trigger power struggles in the direct conquest. So it didn't really change our game plan. It could have put us in difficulty if the opponent had really accelerated the game and worked on the width, but that wasn't the case.
Did the least inhibited team win?
We had prepared ourselves not to be afraid. It was a crucial match, but not a fear match for us. No matter the time of the season, we stay in our pattern. We especially didn't want to fall into small-arm rugby. We have convictions and also certainties.
“We especially don’t want to be a team that has given up or lacked ambition.”
Is it a regret to give them the defensive bonus at the end of the match?
Yes and no. This last penalty had to be taken. It's still a small risk, but the players made the decision themselves. This means that they do not give up and that they think they are still in the battle. I can only follow them.
-Can this victory put you back in the race to stay?
Maybe it's just delaying the deadline, but that doesn't matter. We also want to leave a legacy for this first season in the Top 14. We especially don't want to be a team that has given up or lacked ambition. Maintaining it would be an achievement, we are still not eliminated, but beyond that, we want to leave a very positive image of the team.
The holidays after this long block of ten matches still promise to be better?
Yes, for sure, it will do everyone good. It's hard to maintain for a staff, even if you are prepared for it, because it's a constant questioning. This requires a colossal investment and a lot of cohesion to relay the same message every week and keep the group mobilized and united.
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