Mathis Samaï, new recruit from Carpentras, talks about his integration into his new club and the defeat against Palau XIII.
Mathis, can you introduce yourself?
Mathis Samaï, 26 years old, Marseillais, engineer and versatile in several fields. I have been playing Rugby league since I was 7 years old and I have broadened my skills with rugby 7 (with the Algerian national team), XV and beach rugby over the years.
You left Entraigues to try the XV adventure and here you are back in Carpentras, can you explain all this to us?
At the end of last year, I took some time to think about my goals. I had been performing in Elite 2 for six years, and I needed a new challenge. I then turned to rugby union, joining Berre in Federal 1, where I have great room for improvement. At XV, squad management is different, with many players and strong competition.
On an athletic level, I felt comfortable, but, obviously, I lacked benchmarks in terms of positioning and playing experience at XV, which is a challenge at this level and has led to a lot of problems. frustration over the months.
At the same time, I still followed the XIII championship via social networks and by chatting with some of my colleagues. With the great start to the season in Carpentras, the desire to return to the 13th became clear in my mind. Today, I am giving priority again to rugby union, while continuing training at rugby union to continue learning and discovering this style of rugby.
How was the contact with Carpentras made and how is your integration going?
I discussed my dual license project with Olivier Rostang in August, to keep one foot in rugby league. We continued the discussion in October to finalize and clarify the terms. My integration went very well. Before my arrival, Didier Alvado, Timothé Cattier and Raphaël Andreuccetti had already spoken well of the club to me. In addition, I had already met several players, whether as teammates or as opponents. I felt that the players and the club as a whole were happy to welcome me.
A first match against Palau at the back with a defeat the key, can you give us feedback on your individual and collective performance?
Individually, I regained my bearings at XIII and I was able to bring speed. However, some errors in my running lines need to be corrected.
Collectively, we were in good shape, but we had difficulty finding faults offensively. Despite numerous opportunities, Palau had a very effective defensive system.
What are your ambitions in your new club?
My ambitions are to make my contribution with humility, within a team that was already doing very well before my arrival. Collectively, the group is of high quality and has a good card to play this season to go as far as possible.
