the essential
Castres Olympique hosts the South Africans of the Bulls, this Saturday January 11 at 9 p.m. The Tarnais can qualify for the rest of the Champions Cup. To do this, they are asking their supporters to come in numbers to support them.
This is an observation which is not new, but which continues to surprise, year after year, players and staff of Castres Olympique: their supporters, so fervent, so passionate during each day of Top14 at the Pierre Fabre stadium , become less numerous when the European Cup matches come.
95% fill rate in Top14
However, if the Castres enclosure is among the smallest in the French elite, it displays particularly high attendance rates in the Top14. This season alone, in the first leg, the club is counting on 10,700 supporters on average, with director Matthias Rolland specifying, “a seating capacity rate of more than 95%”. It is above all this rate that we let’s look closely, because we must not forget that we have a particularity, that of having 1500 weighing places and not everyone is ready to go to weighing. However, the club displays an average of spectators per match “a clear improvement compared to last year.” And this despite the reception in December of the Irish of Munster, which brought together “only” 9,000 people. “It was especially notable when the players arrived by bus, rue Nicouleau, says the former Castres second row and captain. The players and staff spoke to me about it just after the match, it bothered them a bit. affected.”
“A real 16th final!”
Because the undoubtedly lower interest in European evenings by CO supporters has an unexpected consequence: their players are feeling this lack of enthusiasm more and more! “We are lucky to have exceptional supporters. We saw it again against Pau last weekend, in the Top14, where they mobilized strongly, on January 4 just after the holidays. We are going to host a great team of the Bulls, with many South African internationals. It’s a real round of 16 that we are going to play!”
How can we explain then that the Castres public, who honor their city at home and even when traveling, seems to shun Europe? Matthias Rolland recognizes that this form of “disenchantment” is undoubtedly due to the absence of a major campaign. “We haven’t qualified for 23 years…” So Saturday, at 9 p.m., director, players and staff expect supporters to accompany them in their attempt to qualify. “We need them,” assures Matthias Rolland. “They have a big role to play too! The players must feel the same popular support as in Top14!”
Will they respond? Not impossible. After all, the Bulls are a great team, with names that still resonate in the ears of the Castres: Goosen, former racing player, Willie Le Roux, former Montpellier, Kurt Arendse or even Canan Moodie, Springbok internationals… Names that attract some. Thus, Didier, loyal supporter, will be present. “I like the European Cup! I was even on the first European trip in the club’s history, to Swansea! I remember that the president entered the field at half-time to protest against the ‘arbitration (laughs)!’ Others, however, will not change their habit: “I might watch on TV,” confides this Castresian. “The European Cup has never interested me, it’s not my culture.”
DDM
The entire OC hopes for massive support from its supporters, Saturday at 9 p.m. The stadium will in any case be ready to receive its public, with numerous activities and a beautiful atmosphere as always. Opening of the bodega at 7 p.m., arrival of the players on rue Nicouleau at 7:15 p.m.
