Top 14 – Perpignan wants to protect itself from a repeat

“P“You’re surprised by the breakage, it’s a pressure sport, and when you’re just moving backwards, you’re not in a position to influence your opponent in any way.”with these words, Franck Azéma summed up part of the feeling that inhabited him after the Montpellier slap received during the last day. Dominated on the fundamentals, Perpignan was unrecognizable in its principles and in its capacity to take its responsibilities according to the situations. Not a single setback in the light of a start of competition where the system needs to be refined, the imbrication of the recruits is unmissable and reaching a form of balance requires a certain temporality. “We worked on solutions, between us. We’re going to travel to Castres straight away, the championship is what it is, and we have to already plan for this trip in the hope of not suffering again.” Circumstantial bitterness which calls for a reaction, a bad habit also, for departures which are always a little convoluted among the Usapists.

In memory of Pierre-Fabre

Beyond any possible bile to be released and not to commit another faux pas, the Blood and Gold will go to the Tarn with a spirit of revenge. An evocation that refers to a major success for the Perpignan team last year, who had achieved the feat of defeating the Castres team on their home turf. If the context is not quite the same, the ingredients to be offered will be the same to perform, with captain Jerónimo de la Fuente explaining: “We’re going to have to win contacts again, and do the things we said we would do during the week. Otherwise, we’ll miss out in Castres. We have to regain this confidence, we’re preparing this trip there with forty boys, and this group will work towards this.” The Catalans will try to correct some shortcomings, put some order in the ideas and the way of approaching the event. Always in the learning and the conviction that this famous time plays however in their favor.