This Friday, Jérôme Bosviel will play his 200th match in the colors of Montauban. The opener talks about what this represents on a personal level and especially looks ahead to this new collective deadline against Aurillac.
You were entitled to a small break last week. Did she do any good?
Yes… Personally, I only wanted one thing on the Monday following the victory in Nevers, and that was to play against Aurillac. But physically, a break was needed. Let’s say it was important but it will do really good if we validate this week of vacation by winning against Aurillac.
Do you have the feeling that this team has gained confidence?
That’s for sure, but the watchword since the beginning of the week has been to not see yourself as too beautiful. We’re off to a very good start to the season. We win in Nevers but we must not see ourselves arriving. We are going to host a great team this weekend. We are also going to go to the big guys… Last season in January we were sixth. This is why you should not see yourself as too good looking when you want to play at the top of the table. For the moment the results are there, it’s very good, we must not overuse it but above all we must be careful.
You know this Aurillac team well, how are you approaching this match?
It’s the ultimate trap match. This is the start of the block. It’s a team that is very strong and playful. We will meet Tedo again (Abzhandadze, spent by Montauban from 2022 to 2024 Editor’s note) who will want to prove that he is a very good player. They will come without pressure and it is up to us to set up our game correctly and hold the ball. We will have to make each of our highlights a reality.
The drop is a move that you master quite well, do you consider it a valuable weapon?
It’s not necessarily something we work on in training. It’s mainly the feeling during the matches. I find that the drop is well used in Pro D2. A little less in Top 14. The drop hurts the opponent. When the forwards have their heads in the ruck and see the ball passing between the poles, it hurts their heads… And on the contrary for the attacking team it feels good and it allows the forwards to be rewarded. It is a weapon that must be used. But I hope we won’t have to use it against Aurillac.
For what ?
Because I think we have a team to hold the ball and advance on every impact. We saw that we were capable of putting together some great first-hand tests. If we manage to achieve our highlights in the opposing 22 meters I believe there will be no need for the drop. If the match is close, maybe we’ll try it.
This match against Aurillac is a somewhat special match for you, the 200th in the USM jersey…
We talk about the 200th but I especially remember that the 100th I lost against Aurillac. The 150th, I also lost against Aurillac… If we can cancel this series and win that would be pretty cool for the team.
And for you, is this match important or rather anecdotal?
It would be a lie to say that this match isn’t special. 200 is a big number. I’ve been in Montauban since 2016… We obviously think about it in the back of our minds because everyone talks to me about it. But I still want to try to ignore it because the most important thing is the team.
In 200 matches a lot has happened… Throughout a career a player evolves, if there is something you would like to improve in your game, what would it be?
Management of strong times and weak times. I always want to play so sometimes I tend to want to play from our camp when that’s not really the right thing to do. Instead, you have to be patient and go to the opponent’s camp and then hold the ball. That’s mostly it actually.
Outside of Sapiac, you give a helping hand to the staff of the Montbeton team which plays in Regional 3. What does this experience bring you?
It allows you to come back down to earth. I’m lucky to have experienced amateur rugby but to experience it from the inside… The players work 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. at work and they have the energy to come and train in the evening. With a smile too. It makes me feel good and it allows me to never forget that I am lucky to make a living from my passion.
