Top try scorer in the last Top 14, the international scrum-half expects Lyon to play a leading role again after a failed last season.
Don’t miss the recovery
Baptiste Couilloud: “The holidays were good. We have a vengeful state of mind given the ups and downs of the season we had last year. We are all enthusiastic before this resumption of the Top 14. This first match against Montpellier is a date that we have marked because it is the start of the championship but also because last year we took a good beating there. (41-26 early June, Editor’s note). We all have this memory in mind.”
The reasons for a disappointing last financial year
“There was instability at many levels at the club. This put us in difficulty even before the start of the season. We had the departures of important players, notably Josua Tuisova. He was a major player in our squad, we missed him a lot. We were also irregular. To make matters worse, we also had a lot of injuries. Apart from a few big teams in the Top 14, what makes the difference is the depth of the squad and the ability to stay in good shape. We struggled to have many players fit throughout the year.”
I would have preferred to score fewer tries but for us to be able to fight for sixth place.
Baptiste Couilloud
Only one point away last year
“You can’t exist in the Top 14 if you’re not able to move properly. Mentally, we were very impacted by these trips. When you don’t compete with certain teams, it’s hard to stay mobilized. It’s been a special season but I think we’re all aware of that and we want to redeem ourselves after the image we gave last season. Our start to the season will be decisive.”
A consultant named Jono Gibbes
“I would say that there have been some adjustments to complete the staff. We, the players, have not had the impression that there have been many movements that have impacted us. The “physical preparation” unit has evolved, it is obvious, it is beneficial to us. The contribution of Jono Gibbes is appreciated by the whole group, he has technical and on-field abilities that are recognized nationally and internationally. He is an additional contribution to the collective. He spent the five weeks with us at the start of the season. I was not able to spend much time with him because we arrived out of step with the internationals. But I have the impression that his presence has been beneficial.”
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Top scorer in the Top 14, his record season
“It’s rewarding to be able to pull through in a difficult situation. It’s not anecdotal but I’m not going to dwell on it. I would have preferred to score fewer tries but for us to be able to fight for sixth place. I can’t deny, however, that I’m happy to have had a successful season last year.”
His long-term extension in Lyon
“It is first of all a choice of the heart to extend in my training club. I want to contribute further to its evolution, its progression and be part of the renewal of the dynamics of the club. We have everything we need – the infrastructures, the ecosystem – for us to succeed. I believe in the project of my leaders for the future. Extending for so long (until 2030) was also sending a strong signal to those who doubt Lyon’s project. I want to associate myself with this project.”
When I started as a pro, we had 4,000 people at the stadium, today we sometimes have 20,000. Our club is evolving greatly
Baptiste Couilloud
A lack of exposure to LOU?
“It’s obvious. We don’t have the resonance that other clubs can have in our championship. Now, it’s part of our history, we have to live with these elements because we don’t have a rugby culture that is very developed in Lyon. But we see that we are building a loyal audience, there are more and more people in our stadium. Having been part of this club for twenty years, I also have an overall vision: when I started as a pro, we had 4,000 people at the stadium, today we sometimes have 20,000. Our club is evolving greatly, our resonance at the regional level is progressing. And we have all the arguments to shine at the national level. (On the competition from OL) We live together quite well, but our environments are different. Olympique Lyonnais remains a very strong institution in the world of sport. It’s hard to get on the same level as them. The local sports culture is more favorable to football, but we’ve been progressing exponentially for 20 years.”
The French XV, still a goal
“It will be correlated with my individual performances but also those of my club. I am lucky to evolve with (the opener) Léo Berdeu, who is one of the players being monitored, our club association and our collective results will potentially allow us to apply for selections. We know that our choice is not obvious at first glance, but we will do everything to be part of the potential choices. It is part of my career, I have taken it into account, and I know some of the reasons why I do not have more selections. Let’s say that today what matters to me is to perform at club level, if I have to be called up for selection, I will be there.”
