A few hours before the Stade Français reception at Deflandre (Saturday, 9:05 p.m., 9th day of Top 14), the coach of the three-quarters of La Rochelle Rémi Talès came to review several subjects at a press conference.
- The 16-0 defeat in Montpellier last Saturday: “Different from the one against Bayonne”
“I think it's really a match apart. There's a match like this every ten years now, which is played in these conditions. Beyond the rain, there is the terrain factor. Natural pitches , there are not many anymore knowing that, there, they are not used to having that much rain so the conditions were very complicated to play rugby, for any player C. It's a defeat that hurt us but it's a different defeat from the one against Bayonne (37-7) In terms of investment and behavior, the players responded. It was our realism that really did it. default.”
- The in vain choice of throw-ins rather than points, a strategy already observed against Toulon: “Our forwards have got us so used to scoring from carried balls…”
“We talked all week with our leaders to learn lessons. We have so much confidence in our forward pack that… They got us so used to scoring from a carried ball. Afterwards, it's always the same, if we score, It’s the right choice and if we don’t score, it’s the wrong one. Unfortunately, we didn’t score.”
“We spent 8 minutes 1m from their line, not to say 50cm, except that we didn't manage to get over that wall. When they came to us for 5 seconds and took 3 points, it gave us a blow on the head… I hope that in the future we can capitalize on taking the points and being much more killer in all cases But it's more our play close to the lines that frustrates us than the choices. was perhaps not clear. We worked on this point.
Icon Sport – Hugo Pfeiffer
- The “lack of brain” raised by certain observers and supporters since the retirement of Romain Sazy? : “The staff is also at fault”
“Romain was 35 years old, 15 of which at the club and more than 300 matches. We also have experienced players on the pitch today, we can think of Will (Skelton) and Uini (Atonio) except that when they carry the ball and push in the scrum – I'm not saying that Romain didn't do it but he had a more aerial and mobile profile – maybe they are tired at that moment And Greg (Alldritt), all Greg. is, or Antoine (Hastoy) or other international players, maybe they still lack this “choice” at times.”
“The staff is also at fault. We must discuss with the players upstream, put scenarios in place, work on this leadership, on the choices to make. When you are in the red, you are less lucid. We work on these scenarios. When there was Romain, the Greg-Romain relationship worked well, they complemented each other. It's also up to us to find the solutions, to encourage them, to develop them.
- Do the defeats in Bayonne and Montpellier tarnish the start of the season? : “They blur the gaze […] We saw a conquering Stade La Rochelle again!”
“Bayonne, yes, we took a slap but ultimately Bayonne has been three games in which they put 40 points on everyone. Montpellier, we went there in a really special context, in Dantesque conditions, with a team which played its survival, which had already lost at home.”
“These two defeats are confusing because we've had really good performances since the start of the season. So, certainly, they didn't last 80 minutes, which is unfortunate, but we've seen some very good things. we saw a conquering Stade La Rochelais again which scored a lot of tries, too, and that's also what frustrates us and prevents us from building on this good start. season, offensively, and this new face of the team.”
- These pitfalls never happen in Toulouse? : “The fact is that we are still far from the Toulouse Stadium”
“Toulouse is an institution, with 20 Brennus Shields (23, Editor's note). We are happy to be compared to Stade Toulouse but we remain very humble, we are still looking for this first title. Except that it's true that we are hungry, that the two European Cup titles have whetted the club's appetite and that today we are in their backyard. But the fact is that we are still far from Stade Toulousain and that we are. we aspire to get closer.”
Also read:
Top 14 – La Rochelle: Oscar Jegou will play again on Saturday during La Rochelle – Stade français
- The reception at Stade Français this Saturday: “A decisive match”
“Over the last three weeks, we inevitably see the glass half empty, but I think that Saturday's match is really the decisive match, the one which will tip us into a good start to the season. If we win, we will be at 6-3 (6 wins, 3 losses), we will be in the top three or four, we will be able to go on vacation. We are not considering another result.
- La Rochelle armed for periods of duplicates? : “The team still looks good”
“We are optimistic when we see the quality of the players. It's up to those who play less when the internationals are there to seize their chance, to confuse the issue for the future. They have a good card to play. The team still has a good chance shout, despite the absence of the internationals we are still going to play in front of 17,000 people, against a Stade Français which is coming back, it's a great test, we are excited. The players have trained really well this week and we are pushing. These guys bring competition to everyone.”
Also read:
Top 14 – “It is to the honor of the coaches to bring him back into the group”: the Rochelais are delighted with the return of Oscar Jegou
- Jonathan Danty among those released from the XV of France? : “I have no doubt that he will come back quickly with this jersey”
“He is obviously frustrated, he wants to play for the French team. He needs to digest this decision and, as he has shown since the start of the season, I think he is finding his means again. He is better and better on the pitch and it will be the truth on the ground which will show Fabien Galthié that he is competitive and that he has his place in the French team. He is getting back to his best level, I don't have it. doubt about the fact that he will come back quickly with this jersey, even if it grows behind him.”
