Léo Darrelatour's code switch this summer is poised to become a success. After proving his qualities to Rémi Casty and Justin Murphy, the 24-year-old is well established in the Catalan Dragons reserve, and will want to prove himself against the Carcassonne ogre, this Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
This summer, you left Rugby union and US Carcassonne to join rugby union and Saint-Estève XIII Catalan. Why this choice?
Basically, I was supposed to go play XV in Australia, but I had six months to wait before the start of the Australian championship. Pia's physiotherapist Mathieu Perez showed a video of me in Saint-Estève and they contacted me, I who always liked watching XIII, I said to myself why not try.
TDid you leave the XV because you didn't have another team, or did you just want to move to XIII?
I had great contract opportunities here in France, but I really wanted to go to Australia. When the opportunity to try the XIII knocked on the door, I told myself that I was going to postpone this deadline to have fun for a season.
When you signed, you indicated that you were friends with Nino Seguela, who joined the XIII last season, and therefore became your teammate. Did it facilitate your integration into the group? And how did your new teammates welcome you to your integration?
Yes, I think it made it easier, the fact that he was there, afterwards, I was very well received by all the guys, we have a great group who live very well together.
Speaking of Nino, what rugby qualities would you take from him?
His reflection (laughs). No, in truth, I will take his anger, this ability to fight at every moment on the pitch is something that I admire about him.
Given that it's your first year, did you feel targeted on defense?
No at all. After each team has its own way of attacking and with Ben (Lam) at my side, we find ourselves in this way of fifteen players in defense.
You have currently played 5 matches, and scored 7 tries. What took you the longest to get used to?
Actually not much, once I understood when to touch the ball and why to fight, everything was very easy.
What are the points in which you still need to work the most in order to evolve your game?
I will say that I have a lot of physical work to do and then I have to continue working in the wrestling field.
You who played on the wing at XV and at XIII, can you remove the myth of the fact that on the wing at XV, we don't touch the ball? Even though obviously at XIII, we come to take more, especially to get out of our camp.
Yes, that's false! I had to play matches in Pro D2 where I touched a lot of balls. If you have a playful team in this championship, the wingers enjoy it. So, I'm not telling you in Top 14 (laughs).
Quite a few rules from XIII are added to XV, such as 50/22. Conversely, what do you think could be taken, in the rules or in the game of the XV, towards the XIII?
Phew! To be frank, there are so many rules today in XV that sometimes it chops up the game. So, I will say that it is better to leave these two games as they are today, they are different and at the same time perfect.
This weekend, you face the only undefeated team in the championship, Carcassonne. What kind of match are you expecting?
It's going to be a very big match, Carcassonne is the flagship team in this division, they are reigning champions and still undefeated this season. There are very good players and it will require you to raise your level a notch to be able to compete.
What are your individual objectives for this first season in Super XIII?
I don't really have any individual goals, I just want to play and have as much fun as possible every weekend. If we could ever bring something back at the end of the season, it would be absolutely magnificent.
What can we wish you for the rest of the season?
The best (laughs).
Thank you for taking your time to answer my questions.
With great pleasure. See you Sunday at the Saint-Estève stadium.
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