It’s like at school, when you’re new, you have to introduce yourself to the rest of the class. Having recently arrived, Hendré Stassen and Matias Moroni will play their first match in the colors of CAB against Dax. Before that, the two new players introduce themselves and confide in each other.
One arrived before Christmas and the other arrived after. But the two will start together during the same meeting. The two medical jokers from CAB arrive to fill a gap in the squad. They will participate in this return phase and hope to be there to bring the club back to the Top 14.
A few hours before starting against Dax, Hendré Stassen and Matias Moroni reveal themselves in a question-and-answer game.
The two players did not have the same approach to Rugby. While Hendré Stassen had a quick entry then later a long break, Matias Moroni started late but had very good experiences between the World Cups and the Rio Olympic Games (contested with Axel Muller).
MM: I started playing quite late, at the age of 17, in my amateur club CUBA. Then, I played with the U20s in the Argentina team. I played VII at the Olympic Games (Rio 2016). I played for the Jaguares for five seasons until Covid stopped Super Rugby. Then I went to Leicester for two seasons and then to Newcastle for two seasons.
HS: I took a different path but I started very young at the Bulls. We probably played against each other in Super Rugby (the answer is no!). Then I went to Paris as a medical joker for Stade Français. I signed a 3 year contract with them. Things obviously didn’t work out there and I left rugby for four years (suspension for doping). I opened a business and didn’t play much rugby for four years. I went to the Stormers and stayed in Cape Town for about a year and a half and ended up here.
It is never easy to join a group and even more so during the season. Stassen and Moroni must quickly blend into the group. For that, internal aid is very important. Just like speaking French. There is one who should have listened to his mother!
HS: To adapt to French culture, I think it’s very important to try to speak French or at least greet French people in their language. You don’t have to just speak English either. I think it’s a lack of respect for them. As far as I am concerned, I therefore tried to integrate into the French environment.
MM: My mother will be angry because she is a French teacher. When I was 14 or 16, she tried to teach me French for two years. And after the second year, I said, “Mom, it’s okay.” After that, when I wasn’t playing rugby, she told me if one day you go to play in France, you will say to yourself “why didn’t I study French?” And now I ask myself the question “why didn’t I listen to him?” I want to learn French, they say it’s very close to Spanish. All the Argentinian players who play here in France have learned French. Even Urdapilleta learned French! If he did it, I think I can do it too!
For Matias Moroni, he can rely on Francisco Coria Marchetti and Asier Usarraga while Hendré Stassen can count on Retief Marais, Marcel Van der Merwe, Curwin Bosch and Nicolas Krone. In any case, before coming, the Argentinian international called his compatriot pillar but Nicolas Sanchez who revived himself by coming to Brive.
When it comes to weather, everyone has their own style! If Stassen prefers the rain and the cold, Moroni prefers to play in the sun and the heat, as far away from the snow as possible.. In any case, if it arrived less than a week ago, the Argentinian understood that one of the team’s strong points was the maul. But he’s not jealous because if all the tries are scored on mauls and there’s victory at the end, that’s the most important thing!
Even if they did not play the first leg (and Hendre Stassen’s wildcard contract is not guaranteed until the end of the season), both players want to help bring the club to the Top 14.
HS: I think the club’s goal is to qualify for the Top 14. I think the Top 14 is the club’s goal. This is also one of my goals. Go play against the best French. I think it would be good for the city of Brive too. As a team, I think the collective objective is to reach the Top 14. For my part, it is to establish myself to become an important player in Brive, a player of confidence who lights the fire within of the pack.
MM: It’s the same thing for me. I have to blend in with the group and conform to what they want. Obviously for me it’s about playing important matches that allow me to gain experience and put me in a position to continue playing for Argentina.
Images: CA Brive
