Obviously on cloud nine after the new consecration of Stade Toulousain, Alexandre Roumat answered questions from journalists on the sidelines of the festivities on the Place du Capitole this Saturday evening. The red and black third line notably gave news of the Brennus shield, all with a hint of irony and a smile on his lips.
Are you able to take it all in after this new championship victory and this Champions Cup – Top 14 double, the third in the club’s history?
I think it’s hard to take in the events, but when you see all the public who came out once again to congratulate us… It’s exceptional. We’re very happy to present this Brennus to our supporters.
How did you experience your arrival on the double-decker bus?
Little by little, we could hear the noise of the supporters as we got closer to the Capitol. Lately, we have been lucky enough to come to this square often and it is always something incredible. As I said after the Champions Cup victory, we must not trivialize these kinds of moments. We must enjoy them as much as possible.
It’s hard to get used to times like this…
Clearly. Personally, I’ve been in Toulouse for two years and I’ve been lucky enough to win three titles: two Top 14s and a Champions Cup. And when you see the emotions it brings, we’ll do everything in the future to win as many titles as possible.
Have you had the opportunity, cold turkey, to think back to this historic final and your 59 points scored?
For my part, I only slept an hour before the start from Marseille so I didn’t have much time to rest (laughs). We sat down, it’s true, but we didn’t think much… UBB put a lot of commitment into the first twenty minutes and we knew that if we managed to get our game going, we would put them through their paces. When we managed to completely let loose, we had a lot of fun. The score difference doesn’t reflect the gap between the two teams but we were able to be realistic.
Has the pressure built up throughout this season disappeared?
Not yet. I think we’ll need a few days to go on holiday with a clear head and think about something else. It was an extremely long season for everyone, but it ended up being very beautiful. Many players started pre-season in mid-July, it’s been almost a year. It was very long but it was worth it.
You experienced your first selections with the XV of France during this 2023/2024 financial year, another great moment for you…
It’s always hard to take all that in during a season. I think I’ll have the opportunity to talk about it again during my holidays with my friends and family. It will be in those moments that I will realize. When you are immersed in your season, you follow the rhythm and you take everything there is to take. As I will be taking a break from rugby for a little while, I will have time to look back and analyze this magnificent season.
What do you mean by “cutting off from rugby”?
Stop training, stop watching matches, stop talking about rugby every day… Simply regenerate yourself physically and mentally.
Was the evening after the final up to par?
Yes! In general, we rarely miss each other on the evenings so they are all beautiful. These are exceptional moments since there are families, the employees of the club too… Everyone had a great time.
Brennus’ shield hasn’t suffered too much?
No, it’s okay. What we were saying with the guys is that it seems heavier and more cumbersome than last year (laughs).
There is one more Toulouse stadium engraved…
Yes, but it’s supposed to remove material, not add it (laughs). More seriously, it’s a trophy that is “tedious” to carry in terms of weight but it’s always a pleasure to lift it.
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