«First of all, I would like to apologize to the supporters, it is unacceptable…” Staring into space, his eyes on the verge of tears, Yann Brethous is not looking for excuses when analyzing this terrible disillusionment, one more. The historic 35-year-old yellow and black flanker, a one-club man who will quit in four months, experienced a real nightmare for his 335e appearance – just one cape from Julien Tastet’s absolute record. This Friday evening, he and his partners delivered a very sad spectacle, while they hoped to inaugurate the year as it should on Boniface's synthetic. If Montauban made the perfect shot (21-33), the Montois completely missed out in front of 5,000 distressed spectators. Once again.
“We’re once again in a maintenance season,” says Yann Brethous, between spite and frustration. What is certain is that I am not going to give up. But I'm starting to get tired of it… (sic), we're taking cadet tests and stupid counterattacks… I'm having trouble finding the words. I am very touched. » If the defeat “is not illogical”, recognizes his trainer Stéphane Prosper, in the attitudes, it is strangely reminiscent – and in a very worrying way – of the previous setbacks on their synthetic, between the end of August and the end of October.
After 15 interesting minutes, Gatien Massé and his partners sank to worrying proportions on their synthetic.
Philippe Salvat / SO
No more jokers
Against Colomiers (16-18), Agen (23-28) or Aurillac (29-33), the Montois had, each time, managed to save a meager but valuable defensive bonus. This Friday evening, they conceded their first loss without a bonus to Boniface since… February 3, 2023. Almost two years.
“We were not effective and efficient,” points out Stéphane Prosper. It's difficult when your leaders miss their game, but these guys have held the team together since the start of the season. I am very disappointed. Some tactical and strategic choices were not good. The level of concern? He is very big. From now on, we really know what we are fighting for…” Because his players, who still had an eight-point lead (and a game in hand) over the 15e place in the morning of this 18e day, today only have three left after the improved success of Valence-Romans in the match of fear against Nice (57-34).
“We are going to play for our survival”
If certain members of the staff continued to envisage a “comeback” to the qualifying zone outside the microphones, this hypothesis vanished in the Landes sky on Friday evening. The danger looms, more than ever. “I take it upon myself, it’s my club, I don’t want to end my career on things like that,” breathes Yann Brethous with emotion. I'm worried, but we're going to have to get back up… We're going to play for our survival every weekend. »
- Philippe Salvat / SO
Yoann Laousse-Azpiazu's Montois fell for the fourth time at home: will they manage to recover?
And this, from Thursday January 30 in Aurillac, which precedes the yellow and black in the ranking and where it “will absolutely be necessary to win”. “We will have to choose the men to go to war,” recognizes Stéphane Prosper. In a group, there are some who are made for that and who certainly have more character than others. It's up to us to choose these men carefully. We will have to tighten up and work to save the club. » Operation maintenance is officially decreed.
Edwards in Colomiers
At the end of his contract and in advanced discussions with Colomiers, Myles Edwards will indeed leave the Landes prefecture: the Columérin club announced on Friday the arrival for next season, and for three years, of the 27-year-old English second row after two seasons at Mont-de-Marsan (38 appearances including 23 starts, 5 tries).
