Delighted to have achieved a convincing success against the Pau Section with the added bonus of an offensive bonus point, the Montpellier third row believes that the efforts made by the group and the staff since the start of the season are starting to pay off.
The Palois were very annoyed to have been so dominated in the ground game, was this a sector that you had targeted?
That was part of it, yes: the ground game and the forward encounters so scrum, ball carried, throw-ins… I think that today the team was rather efficient in that regard. That's what made us win this match.
The group went deep into its reserves to win this offensive bonus point, what does it represent?
This point is an accomplishment. The accomplishment of everything we've done since the start of the season: we work well, the group lives well but we don't always get paid on the pitch. The fact of going for this point at the last moment proves that we all want to surpass ourselves for each other. That's the most important thing.
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At the GGL Stadium, the duel between Montpellier and Pau was mastered by the Cistes. The locals took a 13-point lead at the break before managing in the second half to win 30-3.
The report > https://t.co/mytHSaBu92 pic.twitter.com/3v12MXcKzL
— RUGBYRAMA (@RugbyramaFR) https://twitter.com/RugbyramaFR/status/1860379293030780931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
However, it was not won. The match never got carried away, and ten minutes from the end this offensive bonus point seemed distant…
It's true. But for once, we were able to keep the same level of play from the first to the eightieth minute, or even the eighty-fifth. We knew how to keep them under pressure and end up thwarting them. In the end, they broke down in the 75th minute so good for us.
This bonus point is all the more mentally satisfying…
That's it. We finally reward ourselves for our efforts. It's always frustrating to feel like you're dominating without getting a result at the end. Today, everything aligned.
Your manager Joan Caudullo told us that a few months ago, you might not have been able to get this bonus point, what do you think?
Maybe, yes. Afterwards, with “ifs”… But it's true that from the 75th and the attempt at “Yacou” everything was clear in our heads: we absolutely had to go for this bonus. This might not have been the case before.
Could this be a bonus point of the seesaw, that this match could be a trigger?
We'll see… In any case, this one feels good. These five points are good but next week we will go to another big team, Bordeaux, and we will try to have the best possible match.
What do you think of Yacouba Camara's performance? What does it bring you on a daily basis?
“Yacou” is a warrior serving the team. He sets an example on the ground. He doesn't need to speak given his performances. Yacou you listen to him and you follow him, period. He is a leader through play and commitment and he is valuable to the team. He's had a great start to the season. In my opinion, he has always evolved at this level, but I think it shows more because the team as a whole is progressing. This makes it shine even more and so much the better. I'm very happy for him because he deserves it.
Where are you in setting up your game, particularly on the offensive side?
It comes, little by little. The basics are important to bring play later. By the basics I mean defense and conquest. There, we manage to have a series of meetings while being serious about these sectors. Now we will be able to exploit the balls better because we have more confidence in our game. It comes together: the basics give you confidence and confidence leads to a good attack.
