INTERVIEW. “The name European Cup with South Africa is still a bit strange…” The third row of Stade Toulousain François Cros confides

François, first of all a brief return to this last meeting in Durban against the South African province of the Sharks (20-8). We talked a lot about the exceptional climatic conditions: how did you experience it personally?

We had tried to prepare in advance but it was still very complicated with 80% humidity. We felt like we were playing in a sauna because we were sweating so much (smile). It was even difficult to breathe. This is what made this match a little special, very choppy, with a lot of dropped balls.

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Despite your success in South Africa, you lost your grip on first place in the group to the Union Bordeaux-Bègles. Your feeling?

It's the scenario of the match that leaves us with regrets because we really dominated, we had a lot of crossings, a lot of breaks. With two more actions at the bottom it was a guaranteed bonus. We lost control for the future, yes. We are going to do our best this weekend but it is certain that if the UBB takes five points we will be behind them. We are going to play this match without calculating, we will see then and if we have to move to the quarter-finals, we will have to give ourselves the means to win away.

More and more voices are being raised about the poor performance of these South African provinces in the Champions Cup and some are questioning the merits of their presence: what is your opinion on the subject?

Already, the name European Cup with South Africa is still a bit strange (smile). We are the opposite in terms of season, it generates a lot of costs also just for one match: we took four planes on the way out and three on the return! It also causes fatigue over the following week. I honestly don't find it very interesting. This trip is not the best memory we will keep…

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What can you tell us about Leicester, your future opponent?

It's a strong team that can aim for second place. They will come without complexes to try to bring us down at home. They know that we had this complicated trip which causes fatigue. We don't want any excuses and we will receive them in the best possible way to finish the group stage well at home.

Another subject recently animated the world of rugby with the speech of Antoine Dupont on the protection of the physical integrity of players. You who have always worn a helmet since your beginnings, how do you view the evolution of your sport?

The helmet was my mother who forced me to wear it when I was a kid (he laughs). It has become a habit, I no longer ask myself the question even if I train without it. On the debate in question, it is a risky sport so there are always uncontrolled gestures. Of course we don't like to see that but it's not more physical than before I think. Before professionalism, it was rougher but not always in the same sense of the word (smile).

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At the end of last year, President Didier Lacroix announced a wave of extensions which looks like a message sent to your opponents. Do you feel like you're in the right place at the right time?

We are lucky to be in a club which does not rest on its laurels, which thinks about what comes next. Here, we are always in anticipation. And to try to stay ahead of the curve, we look forward to the next three or four years. We work every day to cultivate this performance. We don't want to be satisfied with what we have done. Like this victory at the Sharks which we are not completely satisfied with. When we play here, we always want to do better, we want to continue to write the history of the club. Working with this confidence, this serenity, is something very appreciable. The extension of these ten guys will solidify the group even more. When you're at the end of your contract, it's never easy to deal with, you can have a tendency to overplay. Ten at once, it’s true that it’s still quite exceptional (he smiles).

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You are summoned to the list of 42 players called to prepare for the next Tournament: does this announcement still have the same flavor?

Of course I'm still looking forward to this list. For me, nothing is ever taken for granted and I have always worked like that. Competition in Blue? She's real, yes, but that's so much the better. I consider it an opportunity because it lifts everyone up: it's good for the players and it's good for the team.