“I needed to take a break from rugby,” says Grégoire Yachvili. At Lormont, I wasn't mature enough to move to the other side of the bench. I came back there by chance last year with the Floirac cadets. I realized that it was time for me to give back everything that rugby has given me.” Quite a challenge for a young 47-year-old coach, who is also the director of sports at Bordeaux town hall. He continues: “It’s a fantastic experience. I intensely relive these strong moments of brotherhood in the locker room. I try to transmit to the players this very special energy, a mixture of determination and the pleasure of playing together. »
The self-taught coach is getting his federal certificates and working with his former partner Laurent Ferrères, backline coach: “I am very satisfied with the state of mind of the club. I think we found the right combination with Laurent, whom I am lucky to know well. I have complete freedom in what I propose and we discuss the overall strategy with Laurent. I'm enjoying it! »
“Forwards, the essence of rugby”
This coaching job is time-consuming but that doesn't matter for this enthusiast who above all wants to instill the right state of mind in his players.
“I am viscerally attached to the values of solidarity that are created in collective combat. The forwards are a family within the family. I still place aside the first line which represents for me the essence of rugby. The forwards are the core, the locomotive that drives the team forward. The two victories against Nafarroa and Gujan-Mestras show that the chemistry is starting to take hold. The players are released. They rediscovered the taste for playing together and the confidence that goes with it,” he concludes. It will be necessary at least that for this late match, due to weather reasons, against the leader of the group, Tyrosse.
The match
Floirac (7th/28 pts) – Tyrosse (1st/45 pts), this Saturday, December 21, at 3:15 p.m. at the Jean Raymond Guyon stadium in Floirac.
