In sport as in weather, there is the indicative temperature, and the feeling. To see Grégory Alldritt, and a big smile that we never knew from him after a match which was not won (31-31), the atmosphere must have been good in the La Rochelle locker room at the Toulouse Stadium on Sunday. Nothing to do with the fact that La Rochelle is guaranteed to return to the Champions Cup, or with that of having overtaken Racing, which we will have to beat on Saturday to be certain of going to the play-off (1).
No, it was indeed the 300th of Uini Atonio – which came with bottles in his name, including one that Jules Favre placed on the press desk for discreet product placement – which occupied the Yellow and Black. “That was the most important thing for us. We said before the match, in the locker room, that today we wouldn’t think about the ranking, all that, but just about being proud of ourselves and being able to drink a beer with Uini, says the captain. In terms of state of mind, we can have our heads held high. »
“With the banana”
Especially since after months of enduring events and showing wear and tear, the Maritimes gave their supporters who had traveled the opportunity to sing in an opposing stadium. Even if the absence of victory dynamites the hope of receiving a play-off at Deflandre, and “that’s what hurts us the most, because we really wanted to offer them, and put ourselves in that comfort”, confides the 3rd international line. Although, with 2 more points, it would have been illusory – UBB receives the last, Oyonnax.
Ronan O’Gara: “It’s a good turning point, I hope, for the next 4 matches”
Their supporters will be content with the hope and confidence generated by the club’s offensives with the caravel, which has finally hoisted the mainsail. “This bizarre result will give us confidence, we will attack the match against Racing with the banana,” swears Ronan O’Gara. We were in the fight. And we were interesting with the ball. It was perhaps difficult for some for 80 minutes, because we played – even if it is a “light” Toulouse – a team which has very interesting automatisms, with full confidence and which plays with a enormous speed, precision with the ball. It’s always a big challenge but we’re quite happy. It’s a good turning point, I hope, for the next 4 matches. »
And for the maritime collective, which has been chasing a trigger for a long time. The first attempt, marked by the class of Atonio and Ulupano Seuteni, may be one of them. “We want to have fun, to be able to play after contact, something we had lost. Now we must not think that we have arrived either but continue to work, tempers Grégory Alldritt. I hope we have a few more weeks left. We are progressing little by little. » Particularly individualities. We haven’t seen Antoine Hastoy and his captain so radiant together since the winter trip to Sale, in the Champions Cup.
A decisive bench
“I felt pretty good, I still need five or even ten minutes at the end (smile) but it will happen. I work hard. I know that I haven’t been at my level in the last few matches; against Pau, I felt better, there too, confirms the Gersois. Like the team, I don’t think I’ve arrived. » Oscar Jegou, who really has something, can help him, like the amazing Judicaël Cancoriet, who is not a default solution in the 2nd line, Thomas Berjon in the scrum, Will Skelton, of course…
And then there are the replacements. If the XL bench of Toulouse got people talking, that of La Rochelle, highlighted at the break by the manager, was decisive. “Georges-Henri (Colombe Reazel) had a good impact, like Louis Penverne. Tolu (Latu) was good, Rémi Picquette too. ”Yo” (Yoan Tanga), who entered very early, also; he made a few mistakes but he hadn’t played up front for a while. Jonathan Danty had a huge impact on the match, Ihaia (West) was good in ten,” judge “ROG”. They will be essential again against Racing, this Saturday, to go further, especially since “the goal is not to play in the play-offs but to win them”, concludes the former fly-half.
(1) A defeat would not be eliminatory, depending on the results of Perpignan in Pau and Castres in Bayonne during the 26th day.
Infirmary
Ronan O’Gara gave a medical update, particularly concerning Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Pierre Bourgarit: “I hope to have them next week, they are great players, great leaders: Tawera did a good warm-up this evening (Sunday ) to get back into rhythm. Pierre was supposed to play but there was a little scare during the week and I would never take a risk with a player. Matthias (Haddad-Victor), it’s a problem, especially for his health. He took a good knockout, fortunately all the signals were super positive in the locker room, even if I imagine that it won’t change much, especially given his medical history. He’s going to be on the sidelines for a few weeks, at least. »
