After two weeks without a matchbut not without activity at ASM, between the first announcements on the transfer market, but also the call-ups of some of its players to the national teams for the fall tour, coach Christophe Urios knew he was expected at a press conference before the trip this Saturday, November 23 to Lyon.
A Christophe Urios, who quickly kicked in when discussing the signing of Harry Plummer, the New Zealand flyhalf of the Auckland Blues for the next three seasons: “It's good, we've talked enough about it now and there have been full pages on his arrival… next year I don't care, what interests me is this week and this trip to Lyon.” A sound of bell which returned shortly after in the discussions, at the mention of departure of Fijian third row Peceli Yato.
The ASM manager, on the other hand, was more forthcoming regarding the last-minute call-up of his Argentinian third row, Marcos Kremer.who will take his place on the Pumas substitutes' bench on Saturday evening for the France-Argentina match: “It pisses me off! We picked up Marcos injured at the start of the season and it took him two months to come back. We have not yet made him contact again and here he is selected for only one match, the last of the Argentinians' tour in Europe. I spoke with the Pumas coach to discuss the risk and the latter replied that for him a Top 14 match is more dangerous than an international match. I've never coached at this level, so I'll believe it, but I hope he doesn't get hurt. In any case, it irritates me.“
Going green before a major trip to Lyon
The Jaunards coach therefore impatiently awaits the return to the field and wants to put the athlete back at the heart of the debatesespecially since he knows his away team is fragile since the start of the season, and often in difficulty after returning from vacation: “If we are not able to manage a two-week break and we are not able to resume what we did before, it is because we are a small team and small guys. I really liked what Thomas (Ceyte) said this week, let's be more Red Bull than Doliprane at the time of this restart.” From then on, and to put all the chances of success on the side of his team, Christophe Urios has chosen to go to Rhône-Alpes this Thursday for a green, as he generally does a few times during the season, for a green that he hopes will save his group.
And for this derby, ASM will still be without Rob Simmons, Alivereti Raka and Irae Simonewho are close to returning to the field after their injury. It will be a little longer, however, for the Australian hooker Windsurfing touched a toe and operated on to clean a wound contracted during the trip to Paris to face Stade-Français. Back from Marcoussison the occasion of the French team's training course, Régis Montagne is not eligible this weekend, unlike Léon Darricarrère. Finally Kilian Tixeront will observe a vacation period.
The meeting between LOU Rugby (10th) and ASM Clermont (6th) is of course to be followed live and in full this Saturday, November 23 from 4:15 p.m. on France Bleu Pays d’Auvergne. Kick-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
