Next year, Laurent Travers should, without much surprise, join Aviron Bayonnais. The president of Racing 92, ex-manager and 2016 French champion with the Ile-de-France residents, should take on the role of director of rugby next summer on the banks of Nive. The track launched in September was locked a month ago, says the newspaper “South West”. Even if the Bayonne president Philippe Tayeb wanted to keep this choice secret, while waiting for the general assembly on Monday, December 23 in Jean-Dauger which should expand the board of directors, before a first meeting of the CA at the end of January. Even today, he continues to publicly deny it.
News that the Bayonne president has nevertheless discussed privately with several club employees in recent weeks. Some, to reassure them about their future or their function in the structure, despite the reorganization that the arrival of the 56-year-old Sarladais will bring about. In Bayonne, it will be between Philippe Tayeb and Grégory Patat. It remains to be seen whether the latter – whose contract ends in 2026 – and Laurent Travers will be able to cohabit. Questioned at a press conference before the trip to Vannes, this Saturday, on behalf of the 12th day of Top 14, the current Bayonne manager did not wish to expand on the subject, simply indicating that he was not “not aware”, before being ironic about the numerous rumors and information circulating around Rowing.
“It never really weakened us”
“I don’t know about it, so I’m not going to talk about it. I switched to preparing for the match against Vannes, despite all the noise around it. This is not the time to discuss this subject together. days of a match. Today, we have other priorities. There are sometimes associations which can seem doubtful. (Research) Furlong comes to Bayonne (the Irish international law pillar recently extended with Leinster until 2027, Editor’s note). But, for the moment, on this subject, there is nothing to say. We will have time to talk about it later, but now is not the time.”
“You know me, I’m a calm person. I try to transmit this stability to my players. Here, in Bayonne, there is a lot of agitation around rugby, and that’s why we get together. equipped with tools to manage these situations and not be destabilized We have already experienced announcements or noises on the day of a match, but it has never really weakened us. It’s like that, it’s part of the job. Honestly, if I didn’t want to not from an environment like that, I would never have come to Bayonne […] We sometimes receive phone calls late at night, connected watches vibrate, messages arrive… But that’s also what makes the job exciting. I like that, it’s never monotonous. Then our environment is like this: one day we are sent here, another there. That’s the job of coaching.”
“A pivotal match in our season”
The Bayonne manager also confirmed the departure at the end of the season of his hopeful, Xan Mousquès, to UBB. He also spoke of the confrontation that awaits his players in Vannes, this Saturday, on the Rabine pitch. Before a reception from Castres to Jean-Dauger to end the year 2024.
“The months of December and January are crucial for the future of the championship. We are coming out of a performance in the European Cup that was not entirely successful, with specific defenses that undermined us. Now, we have to move on to the Top 14 and regain momentum, especially against a team like Vannes, full of confidence. It reminds me of our team during our first year: physical, efficient in scoring areas, and who plays without closing the game. This match is pivotal. One for us, but also for them. Another defeat at home would be difficult to bear.”
“This second block of Top 14 will be strewn with pitfalls, with four receptions and four trips. If we want to aim higher, that will require an away victory. Historically, we have sometimes had difficulty against teams of the second part of the table, but we know that Vannes has a strong identity and a fervor which can turn around a match in a few minutes. Their stadium will be full, and it will be up to us to respond with solidity to the next opponents like USAP or. Montpellier also has quality squads, so we will have to be ready for this challenge.”
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