Present at a press conference this Saturday to comment on the great performance – despite the defeat (20-15) – from Clermont to La Rochelle at the opening of the 12th day of Top 14, ASM manager Christophe Urios believes his team is on track. the right path to replaying the very leading roles.
Is it frustrating to only bring home one point from this trip to La Rochelle?
It's better than nothing. We prepared well. Even if the week was average, I found the end of the preparation very, very good. There was no let-up (after the solid match at Leinster, in the Champions Cup, Editor's note), I found that my team was up to the task. And today we have to win the match. When you fall into the goal three times, you must win the match! But, at the same time, we are moving forward, we continue to progress in quite a few areas. So today, we are satisfied with one point.
What was missing to take four?
Efficiency! When you hit the goal three times, you have to score. This has already happened to us in Leinster. Regarding the situation, I would have liked the referee to come back to the video. Because “Babé” (Barnabé Massa) tells us that he scores. So, well, he's not going to tell me that he's not scoring (smile). But hey. We lacked precision. Close to the lines in particular. We have several situations. So we missed… not much, actually!
As the weeks go by, your team seems to be gaining consistency…
It is certain that we are gaining consistency since the start of the season. At the start of the season, it was mostly at home. We had air holes outside. But it was linked to our game, not strong enough. Since the restart, we have been able to be like we are at home: a team that is difficult to beat. This was the case today. We have gained consistency. We are more solid, stronger. We have confidence in ourselves. There is a good relationship between the guys. We are a rugby team.
Clermont is (again) scary, right?
It's the story of the season: being feared. Today, even if we don't win the match, I believe we won this. This respect. That, for me, cannot be measured. It’s on the ground that it’s happening. I want us to be feared. At home, but especially outside. I think La Rochelle suffered a lot today. The Rochelais are doing well. This is also the reality of great teams. Sometimes you get shaken. With one or two or three situations, you manage to score… Today, we are moving forward. We are not yet a big team, we are not in the league of La Rochelle. On the other hand, we are in the process of building the bases which will ensure that tomorrow, we will regain. And everywhere! If we continue to work as we do, if we continue with the state of mind that we have, this club will win again soon! We don't yet have this confidence in ourselves, this quality still from certain teams. But we are progressing […] We come from so far away. Obviously I am not satisfied with this point. We'll be happy with that. But when I see the team eight months ago… (smile)
Your view on Sébastien Bézy's choice to tap into touch to end the match, on the median, on your last attacking ball?
He's right! That's what I said in the locker room and to Seb. He's right because we didn't have any momentum, we were at home. La Rochelle is a team that puts pressure on. We were not safe. The conditions were very difficult, we had to go back 50 meters. I think he's right. Today, it's important to take points everywhere.
