Wasn't it quite an intensity to end the year 2024 at Marcel-Deflandre?
It was a big fight, we left some juice there, but the 4 points are there, that's the most important thing. We missed our second half a bit, after a great first half, which was led from start to finish. Then, it was more complicated, we couldn't get our hands on the ball and, above all, get out of our camp cleanly. Unfortunately, the last action sums it up a bit: we manage to make a very good exit from the scrum with “Greg” (Alldritt) but there are missing people after the ruck and the guy steals the ball from us. Fortunately they settled for a point.
It was a match for the forwards, but you didn't give your share to the dogs, from your wing…
It's true that I tried to exploit every little ball I had to move the team forward. I don't do magic, but I always try to give the best of myself and, above all, move forward. Because for guys who get back on their feet, the less distance they go, the more interesting it is.
Especially since the high balloons put you under pressure?
Yes. And then, in the second half, we had two periods where we were outnumbered. With a ball lost on a turnover, you're not good, they overturn. A bit like on (Alivereti) Raka's try where we missed the kick-off reception, we were completely unstructured and they scored from a number away from home.
Do your three victories in a row allow you to tackle the big matches to come (in Perpignan, against Toulouse and Leinster then against Toulon)?
Completely. It's always better to win than to lose. We won't have a meeting on Monday. But we knew it was going to be a big fight this afternoon (Saturday). We're going on “vacation” for two or three days (they will meet again on Thursday December 26, Editor's note) to have a good time because we took 4 points. Even if they take 1 point, the job is done for us, the stadium was behind us all afternoon and I think they were happy at the end, even if the content was not there. in the second half.
The team showed a lot of self-sacrifice and cohesion, but are you aware that that will not be enough to achieve your objectives at the end of the season?
Yes. We lacked a bit of discipline, in the second half, we got two yellows, we made too many mistakes and we weren't precise enough, we threw the balls around a bit. We will have to resolve these things and we are aware of it, because it is not going to fall into our hands. There, we don't get sanctioned, but matches could have gone in their favor.
“I see Will (Skelton), who is completely on the ball and I know that even if they go in goal, it’s going to be good”
Clermont's last big opportunity, a carried ball which collapsed into the in-goal, was on your side. Do you confirm that there was no test?
Yes, I see Will (Skelton), who is completely on the ball and I know that even if they go in goal, it's going to be good. But it's always nice when the referee does that to you (he mimes the gesture meaning buried ball, Editor's note). You know you're going back and when Ihaia (West) hits, it's a big defense not to let them come back. In addition, afterward, they play, they move forward. That really gives you energy…
Did it surprise you that they kicked the last ball into touch?
Completely. They're good, they're in it, they don't want to lose their defensive bonus point, which I can understand. We wanted to take a shot and they did it for us (smile), it suited us.
After the mini-break, you will only have two training sessions to prepare for Perpignan. Should we fire immediately?
Yes. Afterwards, these four days will be an opportunity for most of the players to rest and for those who have not played too much, to come back strong from these training sessions. In Perpignan, anyway, the strategy will be very simple: it will be commitment, discipline. And then simply playing an away match, which we haven't managed to do yet this year, by staying in the match for eighty minutes without making any mistakes.
How do you explain that there are often two faces on your team?
I don't really know, I can't explain it. In addition, we say that we come back and try to kill the match, that we try to advance, we score three points (20-10 in the 54th, Editor's note) then cannot get out of the camp and we take a second yellow. It's complicated, afterwards, to simply play. We lack precision, control over our fundamentals, on rucks, things like that. And we give them the opportunity to counterattack.
Is there still some doubt, despite these three victories?
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