the essential
During the press conference on the eve of the match, this Thursday, June 27, the head of the Stade staff invited his players to play freely and, not without humor, affectionately poked them to continue to fill the trophy cabinet.
What lessons did you learn from the UBB semi-final?
Bordeaux is coming off two strategically difficult matches to manage against two teams who put you under a lot of pressure. And particularly the Stade Français with a rugby of dispossession, of occupation, of gaining territory in which it excels. The Bordelais got out of a mess which was not easy thanks to a very high level victory at the start of the match and the qualities they have, notably the ability to occupy. Bordeaux is the team that plays the most at the bottom of the championship so it competed with Stade Français in this sector and it was even rather relevant in this area. Afterwards, we all know each other pretty much by heart and, honestly, we didn’t worry much about our opponent. People have been worrying about us for a while now because we know that we just have to be present in a lot of sectors to exist in a Top 14 final.
How did you perceive the possible bluff by Bordeaux regarding Jalibert and Tameifuna?
We didn’t pay much attention to our opponent, so we didn’t worry much about the composition of the UBB but more about our own because we had our share of injuries. Matthis Lebel will not be in the match, Piula Faasalele has three broken apophyses so will not play either, Cyril Baille was operated on, re-operated on and was only able to return home yesterday. Afterwards, the bluff or not with a line-up announced the day before… At other times, it would seem that it could have worked. Today, I don’t know if it was a bluff or just uncertain players that they will test until the last moment. This is the lot of all teams as long as the players you consider to be executives can play. We start from the postulate that the players who are on the pitch are 100% and if you are not, you cannot take the place of someone who is 100% in that group.
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What do you expect from your team?
Our concern revolves around the level of play that we will be able to have in the sector of conquest but we will also have to be able to adapt, to compete with this fabulous three-quarter line, to try to play our rugby and to put speed on it because as soon as you add a little, you are dangerous. And may the best win. It’s great to have a Bordeaux – Toulouse final considering the slightly positive side that the teams are trying to bring in terms of rugby. It’s nice to have teams who try, who dare, who do and not who destroy and spend their time doing throw-ins and scrums. But once you say that, it doesn’t make you a better or worse champion. We only remember the one who wins.
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This will be the first final in Marseille against a novice opponent at this stage of the competition. How much might your experience weigh?
I don’t know if it can be measured. It’s like the cultural unconscious. Things transpire in the team and its entourage that make our club culture lead us to win the final very often and arrive very often in this state. Afterwards, Union Bordeaux-Bègles is a new club, not Bègles. It’s a team that has had its day, has won a lot with incredible generations. Obviously, Bordeaux has fought to make a place for itself these last 15 years and the credit goes to Laurent Marti and his teams as they have built an ultra-dynamic club with a legendary stadium that today occupies the top places in our championship and exists in the Champions Cup. The experience of some against the inexperience of others, it would be too simple to only talk about that. The experience of the Bordeaux players is obvious in view of the team composition that they will have, the experience of Toulouse too. This is our fourth championship final with this group and we will try to be as we have always been, that is to say try to play our rugby. Where experience can perhaps play a role is in the ability to understand the event, to play your rugby and not miss out on that. But beyond what we have been able to evolve, I have the same doubts, the same concerns and I have the impression that this is the first […] Even though we are often present and I know that this bothers some people, it has never been so hard to win this competition.
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Is it a driving force for your players to make history by being the generation that has perhaps won more than the previous ones?
You have some pretty incredible generations in this club for 30 years. Guy Novès has, for about 25 years, had the crème de la crème of rugby and I have the crème de la crème following. […] This generation is quite exceptional in terms of what it produces on the pitch, the trophies it has won but also the attitude. Often, I judge the intention more than the action. I train guys who are incredible, who push us to our limits, who force us to feed ourselves, to feed them and that’s not neutral. Will they leave their mark on the club more than other generations? I wish them. I think there’s still a bit missing but that’s just my opinion (smile). They’re not bad, but some are missing (smile). Tomorrow night (today) is obviously the icing on the cake. This will not take away from us the little extra star that we have put on ourselves nor the season which has, I think, been a good season for Stade Toulousain.
