The people of Vannes continue to write their history in professional rugby with this very first victory in the European Cup on Saturday at La Rabine against Gloucester. A controlled match, with style, six tries, full of confidence in a green jersey like hope.
Who from Bayonne, Vannes’ next opponent in the Top 14 at La Rabine, or from the Bretons has best prepared for the meeting? The Basques having saved a few frames and a 52-12 defeat away to Edinburgh on Friday or Vannes who had put a lot of frames on the sheet for an improved victory against Gloucester? Answer next Saturday you will tell me, with good reason. Saturday evening was a time for celebration but without self-celebration.
“We scored six tries which is good, and we only conceded 19 points and that’s even better: we’re improving”smiled Yoann Boulanger, one of the Vannes coaches. “We took a lot of points against attacking teams, we managed not to break up and remain compact in defense.”
The objective of the preparation week had been clearly stated: victory enhanced by depriving Gloucester of bringing anything back. Obviously the victory in La Rochelle is not unrelated to what looks from the outside like a (virtuous) growth crisis. Four points from the victory in Charente-Maritime, a bonus point brought back from Tbilisi and an improved victory on Saturday are a sign of this.
“We gained a little confidence”
“Yes it was decisiveexplains Karl Chateau speaking of the La Rochelle trigger, we wanted to fight. We want to play this competition, we know that it will be a pretty tough battle. You saw the match we had against La Rochelle on the contact zones, on the rucks… We wanted to reproduce this match. Because over the next three matches that await us in the Top 14, if we manage to reproduce this kind of performance, perhaps victories will come.”
An incredible start, 14-0 in four minutes, finally good management of weak times, Vannes validated its progress with this historic victory in the green jersey, the Breton colors for the European Cup. Conclusion of Chateau as a summary: “We will take stock after the results of the next two matches because we will be halfway through the championship, we will know where we are placed. I think we have gained a little confidence and I hope that it is not sufficiency.”
Senegal
