the essential
The strong man of UBB returned with frankness and lucidity to the historic defeat of his team, Friday June 28 in the Top 14 final against Toulouse (3-59).
How to explain such a non-match in a Top 14 final?
We saw very quickly in the first 20 that we lacked a little energy in everything. We lost easy balls, missed tackles, conceded a yellow card. Frankly, we were a little late everywhere, we suffered a bit from all the contacts and the Toulouse steamroller was starting up. I want to say that we very quickly saw that we were not invited. And against Toulouse, when you start to lose your arm wrestling, we know that they break your wrist under the table and that’s what happened. We were also very honest in our preparation. We knew we had a three in 10 chance of winning, we wanted to play hard but we knew that a dark scenario could happen. Our lack of freshness was glaring. It’s complicated to compete with Formula 1 like that by playing a barrage and a half on energy. We know that to beat Toulouse in the final stages, you have to go straight to the half.
Read also :
INTERVIEW. Stade Toulousain-Bordeaux Final: “This quest to be the first in all anime!” Ugo Mola proud of his players after the victory
Do you regret your choices to start Tameifuna and Jalibert, to put six forwards on the bench?
No because they were weighed. We cannot beat Toulouse by trying to limit the damage. To beat Toulouse when we are not favorites, you have to try a poker game, you need your best players on the pitch. Toulouse has 23 international level players and even their best young players are at international level so it’s a locomotive. To beat Toulouse, you have to be daring, take chances, and also pray. Today, nothing worked. I think we could have chosen 23 other Bordeaux residents, I think the result would have been identical. We must congratulate Toulouse for the way they outclassed us, for the locomotive that they are today in the Top 14 with their team 1, their team 2, their team 3… We are not at that level. It’s true that it seems like a humiliation in the final but we must not forget that we were still invited to this last meal with them. This should not overshadow everything good we have done this year but today, that was not the true face of the UBB. I don’t think we’ve ever gone so far forward in a match as we did tonight.
How do we experience it on the sidelines?
It’s tough. It’s tough for the players too because they don’t deserve it. We know that when Toulouse’s infernal machine starts to play by moving forward, it’s complicated. Plus, when they are carried by total confidence and euphoria, they try impossible passes that for them are possible. Every action, we conceded a try in the last 20 minutes. At half-time, we told the players that it wasn’t us, that we had to start again strong and that by scoring once, we could keep hope alive. Instead, on the first tangible and interesting possession, we made an easy pass, on the second one too, so from the edge of the field, we suffered with the players, we kept quiet, we accepted the snub and we told ourselves that we were going to use that to come back stronger one day, but we were also very envious of what Toulouse offered us today. We are not at that level, there are inevitably things that we do less well than them and that must be a driving force for the future, quite simply.
Read also :
Stade Toulousain-Bordeaux Final: “Some people would be better off shutting their g…” Ugo Mola lashes out violently after Toulouse’s victory
Did the conquest disappoint you?
Yes. I think we blew hot and cold this year. We managed to regain some semblance of confidence as we approached the sprint and the final stages. But against Toulouse, it’s a magnifying glass. Everything that scares you and that you dread hits you in the face. There will be time to debrief all that but we can’t beat Toulouse with so many approximations, especially on the touchline. I’d also like to take this opportunity to apologize to our supporters who have really been behind us all year. I don’t want the players to apologize because they gave their best all season but it’s true that it tarnishes UBB’s image a little in the final and we’re a little sorry about that.
Read also :
VIDEO. Stade Toulousain – Bordeaux-Bègles final: Julien Marchand’s son misses Amélie Oudéa-Castéra and the winner’s medal
What should we take inspiration from?
What I would have liked to take this evening is the punch and the energy that Toulouse had in the collisions from the first minutes of the match. We felt that we were in difficulty on the front line but to have this punch, we also have to have a suitable end to the season. The stats confirm it over the last five, six seasons, it’s very complicated to compete in the final when you’ve gone through a play-off. And secondly, the technical facility they have in a high level of intensity that we did not have. We are simply worse than them.
Read also :
Stade Toulousain – Bordeaux-Bègles Final: what day and time will the Brennus shield be presented at the Capitol
Matthieu Jalibert said at the end of the match that he could hardly accelerate. Did he resume too early?
First of all, I want to say that Matthieu obviously had to play this match. He clearly warned us that he wouldn’t be able to sprint at 100%. He hit 27 km/h yesterday. I told him, and I fully accept it: “What you’re doing is a gesture of leadership towards the team.” We needed him because Mateo Garcia was almost unavailable. He was ready to put himself in difficulty personally so that the team could perform better because his quality of passing, his fluidity, his leadership on the commands allows others to play better. So I fully accept it. He put himself at the service of the UBB and I thank him for that.
