It’s a luxury. Few Top 14 clubs can boast of having two number 10s of international stature. Bayonne, yes. Joris Segonds (27 years old, 1 cap) arrived this summer in the kingdom of Camille Lopez (35 years old, 28 caps). One has signed a long-term lease (five years), the other is considering hanging up his crampons in eight months. In their quest for growth, the Rowing leaders wanted to double all positions. And get out of the “Lopez dependency”: the Basque club has never won a Top 14 match without him since his arrival in 2022. “Don Camillo” has worn the blue and white for two years, with playing time stratospheric, the highest in the championship last season. He will be a substitute at kick-off this Saturday against Racing.
Joris Segonds has a third tenure. His fourth in seven matches. “He is on a good dynamic,” explains his manager Grégory Patat, “and we see that Camille’s entries are interesting.” His try at Anoeta against La Rochelle (37-7) proves it, barely five minutes after setting foot on the pitch. He already charges two this season. Double that of his last two years. “If instead of 26 matches, you play 18, you are fresher when you play, less physically and mentally worn out,” says Lopez (6 matches, 3 starts). And therefore more efficient. Without losing ambition: “I don’t want to be Joris’ replacement all year round. I’m not going to give up my place otherwise, I might as well stop. But if we want to take a step forward, we need a natural rotation without the level of the team changing. This is the most important. »
Top 14. Rowing Bayonnais: Camille Lopez, a crazy diagonal
It’s his signature, his “special”, even if he denies it. Since the start of the season, the Mauléon fly half has offered three tries to his Bayonne teammates on cross kicks towards the opposite wing
Competitors, not rivals
It was not won. Sportingly as well as in the balance of the locker room. Lopez is a leader of the group. Segonds discovered the French team this summer. The two scorers made concessions in their playing time. The competition could have turned into rivalry. It’s quite the opposite. Segonds does not want to be the first. “Everyone talked to me about it before coming,” smiles the ex-Stade Français player. But I came to learn from Camille. He is a player that I have always appreciated. For the moment, things are going really well. He was cool with me and allowed me to feel comfortable quickly. »
“It’s a beautiful image because people understood that we weren’t pulling each other’s punches”
Without consultation, Lopez returns the favor: “Humanly, Joris is great! Super simple, user-friendly. I didn’t know him. It’s nice to have guys like that in a group. I knew the amateur world (Editor’s note, in Mauléon). He also played in Fédérale 2 (in Decazeville, in Aveyron). It’s a very good meeting. »
Émilie Drouinaud
Camille Lopez and her magical left foot are no longer the only option at the opening.
From now on, the Canal+ cameras are no longer focused on one when the other attempts a penalty, as during the first day against Perpignan (21-19). “They talked to me about it after the meeting,” Segonds remembers. Camille was the first to be happy that I passed it on and it’s ultimately a pretty beautiful image because people understood that we weren’t pulling each other’s punches. » Fullback Cheikh Tiberghien confirms: “You only see us on the pitch but off it, the group lives together a lot and Joris and Camille get along really well. »
Two different styles
This complicity reflects on Rowing, which benefits from two different profiles. “Camille is very close to the advantage line,” explains Patat. He has a very quick scan of opposing defenses which he manipulates as he wishes to create spaces around him for his teammates. That’s his superpower. Joris has an enormous footwork both in length and height. And he is attracted to long passes. »
Émilie Drouinaud
“Joris is attracted to long passes”, like here against La Rochelle, indicates his manager Grégory Patat.
Two styles which influence the level of rowing in the same way. And do not disrupt the group’s benchmarks, with the exception of their closest relay, the scrum half, who is forced to adapt. “One is left-handed (Lopez) and the other right-handed, so on outings from camp, you should not put the ball on the same side,” slips Maxime Machenaud. A detail. “It’s still a comfort to have two profiles like that in the same position,” appreciates Grégory Patat. The king’s choice.
Bayonne (10e, 14 pts) – Racing (9e, 14 pts)
Lieu Bayonne (Jean-Dauger stadium). Hourly This Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Arbitrator M. Blasco-Baqué.
Bayonne Tiberghien – Callandret, Maqala, Tuilagi, Carreras – (o) Segonds, (m) Machenaud – Chouzenoux, Cassiem, Habel-Küffner – Paulos, Iturria (c) – Tatafu, Bosch, Cormenier. Remplaçants: Martin, Bordelai, Moon, Heguy, B. Germain, Lopez, Martocq, Tagi.
Racing M. Spring – Tuisova, Fickou (c), Chavancy, Arundell – (o) Gibert, (m) Le Garrec – Diallo, Baudonne, Woki – R. Taofifenua, Kpoku – Kharaishvili, Kaitu’u, Gogichashvili. Remplaçants : Tarrit, Ben Arous, Palu, Jor. Joseph, Le Bail, Lancaster, James, Laclayat.
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