Thursday, ahead of the Toulouse reception (Saturday, at 9:05 p.m.), Uini Atonio, Dillyn Leyds and Tawera Kerr-Barlow were present at a press conference. Three executives to evoke the shock and the complex situation of La Rochelle, three thirty-year-olds (respectively 34, 32 and 34 years old), but also three players among the most established each season. Logical, but perhaps also one of the explanations for the difficulties of the moment.
Where the champion of France and Europe performs over time thanks to its successful rotations, its holders always having to fight to keep their place, the Maritimes no longer succeed, unlike 2022-2023, a season with two finals and a title. If the depth of the squad raises questions, the choices are also conservative, with a group of 23 often without surprises for big matches and which has changed little since 2021.
In search of balance
“We play the same people a lot. So, when you rest some of them, it shows a lot more compared to other teams, admits Atonio. Is it a question of leadership between us, of trust? I don’t know. But we can’t manage to play big matches away from home, like Bordeaux or Toulouse. […] Maybe there is a little wear in the group, or we need a trigger? I don’t know. But we are working to get that trigger. »
“We talk about a lot of things between us but it’s with the players that we’ll get there”
Is the group still hungry? “Good question,” replies Romain Carmignani, in charge of the forwards. Against Toulouse, they will be hungry. Against Leinster, in the Champions Cup, they will be hungry. The rest of the time? We have a share of responsibility for involving the whole team all year round. Outside, we are trying to reshape the team, to seek a balance. So far, we haven’t found it. We seek to create enthusiasm and emulation. Wanting to get into the team, involving those who don’t play too much, those who play even when they are not the starter. We have 50% responsibility, players and staff. We tell each other a lot of things between [coaches] but it is with the players that we will get there. It is with them that we found the key to our success. »
