Anglet, Tours’ opponent in the round of 16, seeks to move up in the Magnus League

Ramparts of Tours
Anglet Hormadi

It has been several seasons since the Remparts of Tours crossed paths with Anglet. At the time, the Basques were still in Division 1. But titled in 2018, Hormadi has since been in the Magnus League, with a rather similar record each year, around 10^e-11^e place and a holding hen, where they always do brilliantly.

But now they hope to break this glass ceiling. “We of course set ourselves the objective of being better than last year (10^es)therefore to scrape places in the first eight to be in the play-offs »explains Stéphane Barin, the coach, who arrived this summer.

Successful start to the season

And the results at the start of the season are quite convincing with a current seventh place. They even beat the French champion Rouen and the finalist Bordeaux in recent weeks, then followed up with a more delicate period – four victories then five defeats in a row – before returning to success on October 18 against Briançon.

“We had a complicated series with matches where we were efficient but where there was not the realization, the finality that we expected. Now, we are ready to fight for the next meetings and starting this Tuesday (October 22) in the Coupe de France »ensures the best coach in Ligue Magnus in 2015-2016 with Gamyo d’Épinal.

Unlike Tours, the Basques have never won the competition but reached a final, in 2003, under the name of Orques d’Anglet. After several quarter-finals in recent years, they would like to return to the last four. “It’s a great competition to play and possibly win”confides the former French international.

An almost complete squad in Tours

Facing a Tour team “structured, disciplined, works well, with a good goalkeeper and some quality players”Anglet is banking on a number of high-level players, starting with its two prolific attackers: the Canadian Vincent Deslauriers and the French Fabien Kazarine, both authors of 13 points at the start of the season.

They should be on the ice in Tours this Tuesday where Anglet will present himself with a squad almost identical to his last outings in Magnus. Enough to offer a great show to the spectators, facing the Tourangeaux who are determined to upset the hierarchy.

This Saturday, October 22 at 8 p.m.