You really had to want it not to notice Camille Lopez this Sunday at Jean-Dauger. The captain and opener worked greatly on the recovery of the Bayonnais, ultimately easy winners of Gloucester (55-17) and who offered themselves a round of 16 at home at the beginning of April. Cross bars, tackles away from the advantage line and a solo try. And even those who didn't want to see him at least heard him, he was so vocal to keep his people in the match.
Because if the score is (very) large, we still saw quite a few annoying little things. “We are certainly happy with the result, because there are the 5 points and there is the qualifier at home. This is something that has never been done in this club, Souletin first recalled. But in terms of the content of the match, it's sluggish. There are a lot of mistakes, a lot of dross, a lot of dropped balloons, a lot of waste. »
So like a good captain, Camille Lopez yelled, refocused, encouraged. Lucas Paulos, Nadir Megdoud and Noa Traversier all had their ears ringing in the first half. The 19-year-old 3rd row, guilty of not having listened to him and having forgotten Martocq on the wing before trying to serve him with a desperate chistera, for a frustrating loss of ball at 5-7. Useful sermon, since Hope, called to prepare for the U20 Tournament, pulled himself together to put out a boss match and finish best tackler (13) of the match.
Big bridge
But the highlight of “Don Camillo's” match obviously remains his try, a little technical candy in a position that is anything but preferential for a player whose speed is clearly not the main asset. After serving Erbinartegaray with a surgical cross, the Mauléonnais found himself locked on the wing. But gets rid of the rear George Barton with a big “soccer” bridge before flattening in front of the Europcar stand.
-“My essay? No, I don't have to tell it, smiled the person concerned at a press conference. It won't happen often. I'm glad it smiled on me. » Beyond the aesthetic, his achievement above all confirmed his team's return to form just before half-time. Five attempts will follow for a solid score and a confident qualification.
Notes
8/10 Lopez, Tiberghien
7/10 Ferry, Cormenier, Marchois
6/10 Martocq, Mori, B. Germain, Cassiem, Martin, Heguy
5/10 Megdoud, Spring, Erbinartegaray, Bosch, Cotet
4/10 Villar, Paulos, Scholtz