For its first match of 2025, USAP travels to Lyon to try to achieve its first away victory of the season. The task will not be simple, but with a very large bench, there is hope.
Six trips, six defeats, 35 points conceded on average. Outside, the USAP is not at ease. But, ultimately, it's not a surprise. Since their comeback in 2021, the Catalans have never managed to win away from Aimé-Giral at the start of the season. In 2021-2022, we had to wait until the 15th day (23-25 in Biarritz). The 17th day in 2022-2023 (22-24 in Brive). And last season, it was during the 11th day that USAP won in Castres (13-17). This weekend, D14, the first of the return phase, opens. Right on average compared to the last three seasons. From there to seeing it as a real coincidence, there is only one step.
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Top 14: Alivereti Duguivalu starting on the wing, Joaquín Oviedo in 6, Jake McIntyre on the bench… The composition of USAP in Lyon
Lyon has not won in 7 matches in the Top 14
The blood and gold really have the opportunity to strike a nice blow this Saturday (4:30 p.m.) if they manage to win in Lyon. A team which has already lost twice at home (38-49 against Bayonne and 22-30 against Clermont), for a draw against the B team from Stade Toulousain (17-17). LOU has not won in the championship for seven matches. A sad record for the Rhone club, which was strengthened with the arrival of Karim Ghezal at the head of the sportsman. Since then, the Lyonnais have won two Challenge Cup matches against Cardiff (37-26) and the Zebre de Parma (19-21), for two draws against Toulouse, and at Racing 92 last Sunday (25-25). The empty glass or the full glass, to judge the true level of this team, it is currently complicated.
The USAP has therefore prepared itself for a big challenge, because Lyon is not a place that is successful for it. She has not won there since 2009, during the semi-final won against Stade Français (25-21). But above all, they have not beaten LOU in the Rhône since 1994. Franck Azéma's men would therefore like to defeat the Indian sign, and offer themselves an important victory for the rest of the season.
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Because Lyon is a current competitor for maintenance. 1 point separates the two teams ranked 12th and 13th. The loser will be in the red zone this weekend, when the winner gets a breath of fresh air. But the USAP is outside, so it has less pressure. It remains no less ambitious.
Duguivalu on a wing, Oviedo as a flanker
In line with its good performance against La Rochelle last Sunday (21-13 victory), the sang et or collective wants to achieve its first success away from Aimé-Giral. To finally be able to initiate a positive dynamic, reassure ourselves, and reintegrate all the injured into a pleasant working atmosphere. Because the slack period of five matches without a victory for almost two months necessarily weighed heavily. And the scenes of liberation seen against La Rochelle allowed this group to show that it was still present, with the same objective in mind: to put USAP as high as possible in the rankings. And if the players want to do it, it requires success at the Matmut Stadium in Gerland this weekend.
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Top 14: Marvin Orie and Jake McIntyre back in the USAP group for the trip to Lyon
In any case, the composition aligned by the staff gives rise to a lot of hope. Hope keeps you alive, or hope kills you. Make of it what you will. In the meantime, there is hope. Because with Ignacio Ruiz, Giorgi Beria, Kieran Brookes, Lucas Bachelier, Lucas Velarte, Tom Ecochard and Apisai Naqalevu on the bench, joined by fly-half Jake McIntyre returning from injury after three months of absence, the hope of making the difference at the end of the match is possible. Because with the repositioning of Alivereti Duguivalu on the wing and Joaquín Oviedo in 6, the hope of surprising the Lyonnais strategically is possible. And because if USAP uses the same ingredients that allowed it to beat Stade Rochelais – provided that it completes the shots – it can humbly imagine coming home with 4 points from Lyon. And start 2025 in the most beautiful way.
