The week has been eventful (Layoff of Reece Hewat, Editor's note) but with this reception from the Ospreys, is there the prospect of a great party at the Hameau?
It will be a great party. I am very happy with the preparation, the investment of the players, their energy. The week was very short with one and a half training sessions less but everyone is well structured. Now, we must not be too academic. Last week we were too organized whereas you need a little madness, aggression, electricity. That's what I asked for this week.
Madness, precisely, is it up to young players to instill it?
Yes and last week, the youngest were the shyest and that's not good. I was quite direct with them, especially three-quarters. I expect them to prepare for an exciting, finals match. They simply have to have fun, rugby is a game they have to enjoy.
There are many hypotheses for the rest of the competition but there is not much to calculate this Saturday?
We must first win and then, as the context progresses, we may be able to look for a bonus, if we are in phase.
Are there any similarities between the Newport Dragons who you beat last week and this other Welsh team, the Ospreys?
It's exactly the same style. They hold the ball extremely well, it's structured, all the starting circuits are well organized with top quality players. I made my players aware of that. There will be a lot of tension, one against one to win and then we will have to take them to heart, because if we let them get into the match, they can put us in great difficulty.
Have you conceived of these European weeks as a move upmarket, from Newport to the reception in Clermont next weekend?
That's the key. Already, we are looking for an upgrade in the mentality of the players: why do we play, why do we put on this jersey, how do we want to behave? Then, there is an upscaling on our foundations. We emphasized the game a lot on mauls, scrums, turnovers, counter-attacks. Against Newport, we were going to look for confidence in our game and an away victory to give a different emotional dynamic. Second stage, we receive the Ospreys at home to control our destiny and also explore our foundations against a difficult opponent, superior to last week. And then, there is the Top 14 stage, with the pressure of the championship and the management of Clermont, an opponent of “Champions Cup” caliber with even greater athletic density. We will really have to speed up.
This week's theme is the “Trojan horse”, because are you moving forward in masks?
-There are several meanings. The main one: be very direct, get into their game, their environment to exploit our qualities. It's part of our timing, each week had its theme. I tried to emotionally prepare the players for each match context.
What were the different themes of this European campaign?
Last week it was “the looters”. We had to go for gold, to qualify in Newport, so we set up for a whole week around the barbed wire, our defense, our foundations and we worked on preparing for the looting. Before, against Newcastle, we talked about the construction of the castle: the start of our adventure, of our foundations. For the Lions, we had a story around a ring with superpowers and the exhibition of our flag, the desire to make it travel with a group of 30 players, alone against everyone.
Is it this same hybrid group that will participate in the rest of the competition?
I didn't consider anything, everything in its time. First we have this match, then we prepare for Clermont, then I go to the Supersevens final (February 1 at La Défense Arena, Editor's note). We have to let the weeks unfold, the players grow. The context of the eighth, we cannot prepare it now. Emotionally, players will be taken by factors that I cannot anticipate. The week before the eighth grade, I could soak up all of this to build a theme of work and motivation.
Pau – Ospreys
Lieu Pau (Hameau stadium) Arbitrator F. Vedovelli
Pau Mondinat – Attisogbe, Roudil (c), Brau-Boirie, Arfeuil – (o) Desperes, (m) Souverbie – Hamonou, Whitelock, Kpoku – Picquette, Tagitagivalu – Papidze, Ruffenach, Calles
Substitutes : Delhommel, Bibi-Biziwu, Williams, Liufau, Jooste , Grandidier-Nkanang, Robson, Gailleton
Ospreys Hopkins – Kasende, Boshoff, Williams, Conbeer – (o) Edwards, (m) Hardy – Morgan (c), Morse, Ratti – Fender, Spencer – Botha, Lloyd, Thomas
Substitutes Lewis, Phillips, Warren, Jones, T. Davies, L. Davies, Florence, Walsh
Hope
Rather a provider at the back, the group of hopefuls also has its share of promising forwards. In addition to third row Josselin Bouhier, who flew with France 7 to prepare for the 3rd stage of the Seven Series scheduled in Perth from January 24 to 26, Brent Liufau is back in the spotlight. Well bothered by injuries last season and only back in competition since December, the solid 20-year-old second row is a substitute against the Ospreys, this Saturday January 18. “He is not quite ready to return to the very high level he experienced,” believes Brandon Fajardo. Brent had a very good match with the hopefuls (victory against UBB, 20-13, Editor's note), he is good, very strong on contacts. It’s a phenomenon of exposure. It will give us additional support in the scrum, the mauls. The big challenge is to take on the races, the travel, the intensity while being precise and qualitative in the execution. »The rest of his season depends on it.
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