While the Montalbanais remain on three consecutive defeats, Oyonnax finally got back on track last weekend. A meeting that will be worth its weight in gold for both.
There are several ways to view this match. It really depends on which side you’re on. The timing is perfect for one, more annoying for the other. On paper for Oyonnax, there was probably no better time to relaunch. But on the Montauban side, there was certainly no worse time to welcome former residents of the Top 14 who were pumped up after a victory of more than fifty points against Soyaux-Angoulême. “Oyonnax woke up last weekend. We knew it was going to happen…”, assures Baptiste Mouchons before continuing: “It’s a Top 14 team. I think they’re not on time. They’re good in all sectors so it’s going to be a difficult match. They’re going to come to win. We needs this victory.” After three consecutive defeats including one at Sapiac, it is a certainty. And it is knowingly that the USM is moving towards this last match before the holidays: “We will have to be sure of ourselves, precise and clean. We know what awaits us: a big team of fighters,” clearly explains Johan Snyman, coach of the Montalban forwards. And to respond to the challenge that will be proposed to them on Friday: “We will have to be clean in conquest but above all constant”, releases the opener and rear of the USM. Be consistent over 80 minutes. This is undoubtedly the whole point.
A recurring illness
Since the start of the season, Sébastien Tillous-Borde’s men have struggled to play what we call a full match. Which often resulted in narrow successes after which no one could help but think that one day it would no longer happen. This was the case against Soyaux-Angoulême. But no one wants this to happen again against Oyonnax. If this lack of consistency seems difficult to explain, Baptiste Mouchous insists on one point: “I think we have to manage to take care of our starts, since the match against Brive we haven’t had good starts. We find ourselves in difficulty and we often fall behind. It’s not possible… We must not not that we are behind, we are fighting to come back but it is too hard and we are breaking down on Friday, in front of our supporters, it will be essential to take care of the start.. For his part, Johan Snyman explains: “We have things to show. The last block was very complicated. Everyone wants to switch to something positive to end on a good note. In this match, we have things to rectify.” And certainties to be found? At least, these Sapiacains must regain all their confidence to free themselves and play this game which suits them so well. The one who started to make them successful at the start of the season. This Friday, it will be double-edged. For one as for the other. But although the pressure is present at the top and bottom of the rankings, one of these two teams could still sink dangerously.
