Renaissance. This is how we could describe the season of hooker Brendan Lebrun at Biarritz Olympique. A breath of fresh air after an almost blank year in Castres because it was marked by injuries. But among the “Rouge et blanc”, the 26-year-old Châteaulinois also experienced turbulence. Sportingly, with the maintenance clinched at the last minute during the last day of Pro D2. Then administratively when the club was unable to give the economic guarantees necessary to present a forecast budget. The threat of demotion finally passed two weeks ago. The regulatory authority having validated the file presented by the new leaders of the club. Brendan Lebrun looks back at this season like no other.
This season, you played 15 matches, including three as a starter, with the BO, what do you remember from that?
If I had been told last season that I would do the same, I would have signed straight away. Not to mention that I was away from the field for two months after a compound fracture of my finger. But I’m very happy to have been able to set foot on the pitch again. I have some good or even very good matches, others a little less successful, with less playing time but I am still happy with what I was able to take.
Did you need to regain confidence?
Today, when we do not have confidence in rugby, we are far below our capabilities. So yes, that was my goal. I had to prove to myself that I was ready, that I had the ability to return to this level.
Beyond your personal ambitions, the season was marked by the difficulties of the BO, how did you experience this period?
I took a lot of distance from that. I first focused on myself, doing what I did best: playing. And I left the rest to the leaders.
Were the players aware of the turmoil the club was facing?
Very little. We met the new management late. The handover was complicated, we didn’t know who was taking over, under what conditions, it was special. We often learned things on the networks.
What impact have these changes had on the sporting aspect?
It was mentally difficult for the players. This was quickly seen on the ground and in the results. Luckily, we had a good group with guys all looking in the same direction.
In an interview for Sud Ouest, Shaun Hegarty (the new president of the BO) said he wanted to recreate a soul inside the locker room, is that a necessity?
Even if the locker room has remained united, we feel that we are missing something, an identity, among other things. We will have work to rebuild a team, strengthen cohesion with a lot of recruits to integrate. It won’t be easy at first but there is a great project. The fact that we are in a historic club is additional motivation. We are committed to making it continue at the professional level.
