The USAP is going to Paris this Saturday (4:30 p.m.) for its last trip of 2024. Last year, it ended the year with a success in Castres (13-17). Will the Catalans achieve such a feat?
Before the trip to Toulouse a month ago, we were tempted to write “Is this the year or never for the USAP at Ernest-Wallon?”. Result: 41-9 for Stade Toulousain, a red card (Fakatika) and a serious injury (Brazo). For this trip to Paris (this Saturday 4:30 p.m.), we won't take the risk. But yet, if USAP could create the feat of winning for the first time in more than 13 years on the pitch at Stade Français, it would be amazing. At the time, on March 5, 2011, the blood and gold won 9-21 thanks to two tries from Florian Cazenave and Ovidiu Tonita. The two teams then fought for the qualifying places.
Today, it is in a completely different context that the two historic rivals will face each other. USAP is 11th, Stade Français 12th. Four victories and seven defeats on each side, and pressure for results. Because Paris, an unfortunate semi-finalist last season, had not planned to play the game. And Perpignan, for its part, would have liked to fight for something else this year. But, for the moment, for various reasons, it is towards the bottom of the ranking that the blood and gold are looking.
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Treat yourself to happy holidays
After the defeat against Toulon three weeks ago at Aimé-Giral (13-22), the players and staff came away very disappointed. Until then, they had managed to hold on, despite fifteen injuries. But faced with a very solid RCT, the rope ended up giving way. “I think the team will learn from tonight's game. We are disappointed. Now we will shut up, say nothing and work hard.”Tom Ecochard expressed after the meeting.
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Working hard, the players did it all week. Thursday's session was studious, with a high intensity slider. The players do not give each other gifts. They are determined to reverse the trend and achieve a feat like that in Castres on December 31 (13-17 victory). “We lost points at home in the last home match, so we have to do our best to recover points”announces Giorgi Beria, who will return to number 1 this Saturday at Jean-Bouin. “We need to make up pointsadds manager Franck Azéma. It's a beautiful place to go and indulge. Today, we are safe from nothing and all we want is to take points whenever we can. Showing up in Paris to say that we are going to win would be arrogant. On the other hand, are we going to fight? Yes.”
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And to “fight”, the staff aligns the best they currently have in store. While continuing to tinker in the second and third lines. For the first time since his arrival, New Zealander Max Hicks will start in the cage, where he will be partnered with Adrien Warion. When Noé Della Schiava obtains the confidence of the staff to start in 7. Two solutions in touch which will not be too much against a Parisian team dominant in this sector.
Under a few drops of rain, wind, and a synthetic pitch which promises to be slippery, the USAP will have to refocus on what it knows how to do: combat and simple things. But for 80 minutes. Not just intermittently like she has done too much away this season. This block of three matches promises to be decisive for the rest of this 2024-2025 financial year, and the blood and gold do not want to waste everything. “It’s a pivotal moment of the season”assumed Giorgi Beria on Thursday at a press conference. It is therefore up to them, the players, to take their responsibilities to have a happy holiday. Like last year…
