Experienced in Pro D2 games with the FCG, of which he was one of the executives despite his young age, Barnabé Massa nevertheless did not discover the Top 14 in the best way. Established in Perpignan at short notice after the last minute withdrawal of Etienne Fourcade during the 4th day, the 20-year-old hooker is experiencing major difficulties on the sidelines, and is replaced at the break during the heavy defeat of Clermont (33-3 ).
“The start of the season was rather complicated with the adaptation to a new club and a new living environment,” admitted the Drôme player at a press conference on Friday. “The transition from Pro D2 to Top 14 too, because I didn't think the step was that high, but we worked well with Julien (Laïrle, assistant coach, Editor's note), Christophe (Urios, manager) and the other heels of the club”. “He had difficulty finding his place immediately,” Urios testifies, “but we could already see his potential and his temperament.”
Since then, Massa, world champion with the U20s in 2023, has proven that he is more than a potential, stringing together all the match sheets, and showing himself more and more prominently alongside the pillar Régis Montagne, 24 years old and another defector from Grenoble this summer. Author of four tries in the Top 14, Massa notably scored a double in the big victory against Castres (54-10), and did it again in the Champions Cup, against Treviso (28-0 success).
Ceyte: « It is making strong progress »
“I gave him a strong signal of confidence in recent weeks, and he gives it back in every match,” said Urios. “What is surprising is not his Rugby, it is above all his mental aspect where he is very strong. He doesn’t ask himself many questions,” greets Laïrle.
“I find him very very strong, in all objectivity,” testifies the Ardèche second line of the ASM Thomas Ceyte, admiring this “fucking hard worker”, and who at the height of his 33 years wants to “supervise him, helping to reach the highest level.” “In this sector of the sidelines, he puts a little pressure on himself,” illustrates Ceyte. “So as a sideline captain I try to take the pressure for myself in a match and do very simple things to give him confidence. He is making strong progress, and gains intensity in each match. »
Coming into play during the narrow defeat against Leinster last week (15-7), Massa stood out in particular in a Clermont trial action, ultimately stifled by the Irish defense of the quadruple European champion. “I rewatched the images of my breakthrough during the match. It bothered me a little that Porter (Andrew, the Irish international pillar) caught me at the end of my race (smiles),” Massa preferred to joke. “It’s a great action but in the end, we didn’t manage to score and that’s what I remember in the end,” he added, already looking towards La Rochelle, “another European level match “.
In addition to a throw in perfectible touch, Massa “still has a milestone to pass on a physical level” to “confront himself with the greatest”, judges Laïrle. “If the club works well, “Babé” (his diminutive for Barnabé, editor’s note) and little Baptiste (Jauneau, scrum half) must represent the future of the club and become one of the great leaders of tomorrow”, wants to believe Urios.
Rugby
France
