Thirteenth in the top 14, the Hérault club is playing a match that is already crucial for its future with the arrival of the promoted Vannes team. And this time, you won’t have to tremble…
The respite really didn’t last long. The championship is only in its sixth day and Montpellier is already playing a crucial match to maintain with the arrival of the recent promotion to the Top 14, Vannes. The observation is harsh, but the reality is what it is: in five days, the MHR has only six points, i.e. the same score as the Breton promoted. The Héraultais only owe this thirteenth place to a more favorable goal average. The fault of two defeats at home, against Lyon (22-26 during the first day) and Stade Toulouse (11-20 for the third) which make the Mediterranean club the worst at home with only one point taken. So much for the chart of accounts. But what about on the ground?
On the ground, we would be tempted to say that the reality is more nuanced and less alarming. As the first five meetings have shown, the MHR is not that far away. He can rely in particular on a good defense, the fifth best in the championship with 110 points conceded. The problem is consistency. So far, this team has been unable to deliver a successful performance for eighty minutes. We remember, for example, this trip to Bayonne where the Cistes would have legitimately brought home the victory (28-27) if they had not been absent during the first half (15-0). Or even last week when they returned empty-handed from Paris (29-20) while they were up to ten points ahead of Stade Français: “In the first half, we should have scored more,” manager Joan Caudullo railed this week, but stupid mistakes ruin our efforts every time. We are working hard on that.”
Weight reinforcements
To avoid pitching again in this way, the MHR ship will be able to rely on the return of several captains at its helm: after having benefited from a week to regenerate, the double South African world champion Cobus Reinach should regain his position as scrum-half. Up front, we should also see the returns of two impeccable players since the start of the season, in this case Yacouba Camara and Tyler Duguid. These two warriors should form a team that any Top 14 team could travel with.
Ditto for third row Lenni Nouchi, also exemplary in his commitment: “We should have quality on the pitch,” underlined Caudullo. These players also have a sad but valuable experience of these “muerte” matches. “We need these experienced players,” confirmed the manager. After all, it was they who won, on June 16, a victory on the Grenoble lawn which validated the MHR’s retention in the Top 14…
