LThe best is also the enemy of the worst. The Section was counting on the international break to stem its three setbacks and get back on track. She messed up all along the line. Worse: she has become mired in the same pangs, and in even more worrying proportions, than those which have accompanied her since the start of the season. Despite giving credit to the doubts that accompany the quality of his forward package. “We are ashamed, we showed a ridiculous image,” laments Nathan Decron. A session of collective self-flagellation whose most spectacular expression came from the mouth of his manager. “I have the feeling of having been humiliated,” concedes Piqueronies. In two sectors in particular: the scrum and the ground game. »
The first cost him six penalties and 13 of the 16 points scored by Léo Coly at the break (16-3). As for the second, it signaled the start of the Pau liquefaction when Camara, facing an apathetic Bibi-Biziwu and undoubtedly also a little stunned by his three penalties conceded in the scrum, picked the ball flush with a ruck to crash the Section 25 m further (23-3, 76th). “Given the poor quality of our ground game today, the only thing that reassures me is that starting from this low, we can only improve it,” says Sébastien Piqueronies. I feel a feeling of shame for not having been at the level of the Top 14, at least on the ground game and the closed scrum. »
Which brings us to a more global, and even more chilling, observation. “Faced with dense Top 14 players, today, we are not at the level. » Will the Section only be one day, given the depth of its problems? The mediocrity of his ground game and his scrum would almost eclipse this attack as sharp as a butter knife. “We're never dangerous, we don't do three rucks in a row,” laments the center without shying away. Nor avoid everything that is wrong. “Defensively, we lose all the collisions, all the high balls, they are for them, in the scrum, we take a lot of penalties. On the sidelines, we get robbed (2). »
To the west
A debacle that Nathan Decron suspected. “The first fruits? I may have felt them a little this Wednesday. In training, we were there without being there. You have to stop hiding, waiting for the person next to you to do the job for you. »
Just to wait. Like at the end of the match, when Pau had fun playing in front of his line at 23-3, for glory. And his direct competitor in the ranking obviously took advantage of this lack of lucidity to offer himself his first offensive bonus of the season, on the siren. “We have nothing to gain, apart from maybe pissing off a guy… Or giving them the offensive bonus and that’s what we did, bisque Decron. So well done… well done! »
The manager's anger was perhaps less ironic, but even more penetrating. “I am very disappointed, I feel humiliated, very angry at not respecting the last instructions at the end of the match. I have enormous anger towards everyone. »And equally colossal pressure before hosting Lyon (Saturday at 4:30 p.m.), beaten at home by Clermont (22-30). “After a disappointment like this, at the Hameau, in front of our supporters…, Nathan Decron projects. If we lose this match, it means we have to stop rugby. You're going home, you don't want to! » That's pretty much all said.
Notes
5/10 Kpoku, 4/10 Credoz, Daubagna, Decron, Klemenczak, Desperes, Laporte, Jolmes 3/10 Kaulashvili, Auradou, Zabala, Ruffenach, Picquette, Zégueur, 2/10 Simmonds, Luc-Bidzewu 1/10
