The Maritimes, who conceded another humiliating defeat on the road last weekend, must recover at home this Saturday evening against Stade Français.
Action. Reaction. Since the end of September, and a victory down to the wire in Créteil against Racing 92 (16-17), the course at Stade Rochelais evokes that of the yo-yo. One shot up, one shot down. An improved victory against LOU at home, a humiliation in Bayonne (37-7); a start at Deflandre against UBB, a new slap, this time at Montpellier (16-0). And, therefore, a big pardon once again expected this Saturday evening at home for the arrival of Stade Français.
Obviously, the fiery Irish manager of the Maritimes, Ronan O'Gara, does not appreciate this motivation on a intermittent basis. After the rout in the Basque Country, he had harsh words. “We lost more than one match today. You lose credibility, respect. For me, these are important words. If you accept a performance like that, you dilute your value, you attack your personality. He could have repeated the same after the poor performance, without the slightest point scored, in Hérault…
His deputy, in charge of three-quarters, moderates the judgment. “It’s a defeat that hurt us but it’s a different defeat from the one against Bayonne (37-7). In investment and behavior, the players responded. It’s our realism that was really lacking”assured Rémi Talès at a press conference.
It's up to those who play less when the internationals are there to seize their chance, to muddy the waters for the future. The team still looks good despite the absence of internationals.
Rémi Talès
In search of redemption in front of its public, Stade Rochelais however appears diminished due, among other things, to the first (false) duplicate. The Wardi and Colombe pillars remained in Marcoussis. With Atonio's injury, the first line is severely depleted. Same problem on the third line where Alldritt and Boudehent were not released by Fabien Galthié. With Botia still convalescing and Cancoriet suspended for four weeks, the ranks are depopulated. Hence the call for help from Oscar Jegou, propelled into the starting position even though he has not played for 119 days and his indictment for rape in Mendoza (Argentina).
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“We are optimistic when we see the quality of the playersreplies the former opener of the XV of France. It's up to those who play less when the internationals are there to seize their chance, to muddy the waters for the future. The team still looks good despite the absence of the internationals.”
A small improvement for O'Gara and his staff, Jonathan Danty and Antoine Hastoy have been made available to their club by the XV of France (they will be substitutes this evening). But the last city has not shown its best form in recent weeks. Just like his hinge companion, ex-All Black Tawera Kerr-Barlow. He, so often decisive, has struggled, since his return from injury, to regain his authority, more borrowed with the ball in his hands, less precise in his kicking game.
So many observations that Rémi Talès strives to minimize, or even erase. “These two defeats are confusing because we have had really good performances since the start of the season. Certainly, they did not last 80 minutes, which is unfortunate, but we saw a conquering Stade La Rochelais again, assures the technician. We saw a Stade Rochelais again which scores a lot of tries. Who cashed in too, and that's new. This is what frustrates us and prevents us from building on our good start to the season offensively.”
“This match is really decisive”
To prove him right, his team will have to react once again. Beat Stade Français with the style to go on vacation with a lighter mind. “Over the last three weeks, we inevitably see the glass half empty. But I think that this match against the Parisians is really the decisive match, the one which will give us a good start to the season. If we win, we will be 6 wins for 3 losses, we will then be in the top three or four in the standings. And to add, aware of the stakes: “we do not envisage another result.”
However, Stade Français does not come to La Rochelle as an expiatory victim. Building on its convincing success (36-6) against Clermont, but still struggling in the standings, the Parisians have the idea of winning in the citadel of the Maritimes to erase their defeat at Jean-Bouin against Toulon.Sekou Macalou, the third line of the SFP, did not hide it. The assistant coach of the Pink Soldiers, Julien Tastet, was more cautious. “I know that the La Rochelle players were put under pressure at the start of the week. They fell from a height in Montpellier. We expect a team that will want to show its true colors…”
