The left pillar, victim of a ruptured pectoral last September, is back with the Catalan group against La Rochelle, this Sunday (6 p.m.). A return which relieves him, as he is usually not injured, and which is good for the whole group.
He is still one of the few who has not tasted real Catalan furia. He had a taste of it in Béziers, around and, to a lesser extent, inside the Raoul-Barrière stadium. But, for now, his Catalan adventure has gone no further. However, everything still pointed to the fact that Bruce Devaux was one of the USAP's flagship recruits. In good shape very early, in good shape during his first match in Bayonne and solid in the scrum, the former Toulon player was certainly on the rise. But his pectoral failed, during a scrum, in the 35th minute, against Montpellier, on September 14. One of the first injuries, before the start of a long list for USAP.
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More than three months later, Bruce Devaux is back. He will be on the bench against La Rochelle this Sunday (6 p.m.). “It feels goodhe smiles. It took quite a long time, especially at the start. I'm still coming back a little early so it's good for morale and I really missed being with the group, with the team.” A return which does him all the more good as the former Toulon player was not accustomed to these prolonged absences. “Last year, I didn't have a single injury all year, which is quite rare for a pillar. But there, it was bad luck. In scrum, it can happen to n “No matter who. I don't think it was a problem of fatigue or anything else. We collapsed, my pec broke, it happens, it's rugby.”details the left pillar, without emerging marked from this period away from which he is not accustomed.
“He’s a player who does good for our pack”
And so much the better, because the USAP needs his experienced and solid profile. “We need Bruce, he’s a really important player for us and who does good for our pack”estimates its captain, Jerónimo de la Fuente. The pack will also be put to the test against La Rochelle. Strong in conquest and accustomed to torpedoing their opponents close to the lines, the Charentais will make the task difficult for the Catalan forwards, and therefore for Bruce Devaux for his return, who will have to face Joel Sclavi and Aleksandre Kuntelia. “No matter who the guy is opposite, we’re going to have to offer a fight.”argues the left pillar. Enough to simply confirm what David Marty said: “He feels ready! It was his feelings that led him to come back on Sunday.”
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And if this return bodes well for gaining density and depth in the blood and gold squad, it calls for others. It was said that Bruce Devaux was one of the first injured Catalans. He's back. Jake McIntyre, who suffered from the same pectoral injury, has been training with the team since last week. Marvin Orie, absent since October, too. Patrick Sobela, victim of a broken thumb, resumed the race and put on his crampons again this Friday. Just like Jefferson-Lee Joseph, Mathieu Tanguy and Giorgi Tetrashvili, injured for a shorter period of time. The infirmary is becoming uncrowded. Bruce Devaux is a symbol of this. And a whole group is delighted. “Little by little the players who were injured are coming back and I believe that little by little the team will growconfides Jerónimo de la Fuente. We need everyone because it boosts our morale when we see a guy who works every day next to the pitch, in the rain, the wind, the sun.” All that's left is to continue to sit tight until the group gets closer to its maximum capacity. Bruce Devaux seems to be close to finding them. Even more for its premiere at Aimé-Giral: “It’s something to discover.”
