After its away victory in Paris, Toulon followed up with an improved success against Vannes (54-19). Facing the press, Mignoni, well aware that the score was harsh for the Bretons, regretted a 40-minute gap in this game.
You weren’t in your match before a reaction in the last twenty minutes. How do you analyze this performance?
I find you a little harsh. I’m pretty happy with the first 20 minutes. Ben White handled the weak times well. We score every time we enter their camp, including two tries. Then we fell into the bad side of the mind. We were too easy. We no longer tackle, we endure all the tackles, we want to contest the balls while the referee, during the phases where we assist the tackler, is very harsh in this area. We had analyzed it. We had six penalties in a row. We lost the initiative, then we played under pressure and against the wind. Opposite, there is a great team. I told you so and I knew it. We weren’t able to defend well. We were too tight, we got sucked in like cadets. At the break (14-14, Editor’s note), we had to find a new dynamic. The second period was much better, especially after Jean-Baptiste’s red card (Gros, Editor’s note). We woke up with excitement and madness in particular. She wasn’t perfect but she was better. At the exit, we win with the offensive bonus. Well done to the guys who came back.
How do you explain this awakening after playing time?
We achieved what we did in the first twenty minutes. We wore out the team opposite. We knew we would have opportunities at the end of the game. There will be no easy match. We made it easy at the end, but it was a very complicated match in the first half. Vannes plays rugby very well. But, we gave them the opportunity to play good rugby. That’s what bothers me. In the first period, there is a turning point with this repetition of mistakes. We got ourselves into trouble. We don’t lack humility, because we didn’t take this match lightly. At 14-0, we lost our humility. We can talk about the game, whatever we want, but have lost the initiative. […] There was a relaxation. We had done the job, then our attitudes were less good. Today, it is still fragile. When you take the score, when you have mastered what you need, you have to continue. We are not yet a great team. In the phases of relaxation, you can suffer, but you must remain in control.
Comment ?
It’s not because you don’t have possession that you have to panic and lose the momentum of a game. Sometimes it’s okay not to have possession, but you have to control in defense. We didn’t manage to do it. It’s a mental thing. It must be a strength. Great teams have that. We don’t have it. We have other assets, solidarity, we don’t give up. It’s positive. Not everything is negative, but we need to better control these moments.
Your team has never been able to adapt to the refereeing of this game…
You are right. We focused on the referee. He is someone, rightly so, who is harsh on tackle assistants. He penalizes every time. I had seen him in the last four matches. He is very picky. Even if you relax a little, it’s never enough. You have to know how to adapt. I’m going to get into their heads even more. At some point, you have to take responsibility and listen. Otherwise, it will quickly annoy me. If we don’t understand, we don’t play. It will be simple and clear. I have enough guys to rotate.
What was your feeling during the last quarter of an hour?
I say to myself: “Phew, enjoy yourself and have fun.” We must continue to have patience in the scoring zone and in our games. It pays off in the long run. Physically, we are good. We must have confidence in our work.
With this third success in a row, Toulon moves to the top of the ranking. Is this already a message that has been passed on to the competition?
I don’t have a message to convey. In recent years, Toulon has had fairly average starts. Over the first nine days, before the break, I want to see where we are going to be in this ranking. It’s a big challenge. For a long, long time, you have had better statistics, we have no longer been able to make a good start to the season. Today it is correct. We are in the nails. Now, there are two trips ahead of us (Clermont and Racing 92, Editor’s note). I’m waiting. Today, it is good in terms of accounting. On solidarity, I like that too! The rest will come. You have to build and persevere. We have to raise our level in the matches that come.
