Interview. Quentin Walcker (Castres): “Above all, don’t see yourself in a suit cut too big”

This Sunday March 22 (9:05 p.m.), the poster for the 25^e and penultimate day of Top 14 will oppose Castres (3^e) to Perpignan (13^e). A special match for the international left pillar Quentin Walcker (26 years old; 2 selections), trained at Usap and who greatly contributed to the rise of the Sang et Or in the Top 14 last year. But the interested party wants to put feelings aside and focus on his end of the season with the CO, rejecting the favorite suit in the qualifying race loaned to Castres and wanting to continue to advance hidden.

Actu : How does it feel to find Perpignan, your training club, this Sunday?

Quentin Walcker : I’m very happy to play them here. I still have a lot of friends who work at Usap. But it remains a crucial match for us and I focus more on the collective issue than on my personal feelings. The meeting is also very important for Perpignan. The Top 14 has tightened over the years and most clubs are still playing very big in the last two days. The context is given. We know where we are going and we must not lie to each other about the situation.

How was the three-week break during the European Cup?

Q.W : It was not three weeks of rest, but without competition. This helps to regenerate the head. We worked a lot, with more qualitative than quantitative work. The group was very serious in training. We did big sessions, which somewhat filled the energy expenditure that we can have during the meetings. Even if nothing replaces the rhythm of a match, we tried to put ourselves in the best possible conditions to start this final stretch.

Can you tell us about the Usap melee?

Q.W : I know her a little bit… (laughs). This is a very serious scrum. They are strong and powerful, with a nice straight pillar. They have a big pack so it still promises a good duel. It’s a team that has a nice mix between forwards and three-quarters. They are very complete and have everything you expect from a Top 14 team. You have to be attentive on all lines of the pitch, because Melvyn (Jaminet) is able to set fires quite quickly. We will have to be vigilant about the physical challenge, but also about all the spaces we can leave at the four corners of the field.

Everyone is waiting for us, but we have to be careful not to miss the walk.

You are only two points behind leaders Montpellier. Is the objective a direct qualification in the semi-finals?

Q.W : No, because we are not yet mathematically guaranteed to finish in the top six. It’s a bit corny to say that, but we focus first on the last two days. We don’t want to cut corners. We stay true to ourselves and keep our heads on our shoulders.

Many observers make the CO a favorite for qualifying. How do you experience this new status?

Q.W : You know, I’m not a tipster at all and I’m down to earth. The matches are not played in advance and you can still lose everything and not qualify. In previous years, the OC qualified when we weren’t expecting them and, conversely, today, we are expected, so we have to be careful not to miss the step and not qualify. . You shouldn’t see yourself in a suit cut too big. Right now, we want to be ourselves, stay quiet in our corner and keep working. That’s all we ask.

Do you still appreciate that we lend you this favorite costume?

Q.W : We try to ignore everything that can be positive or negative, because it can affect mentally. We remain quite distant from all that. We see it and we hear it, but it stays in a tiny corner of our head. We are not here to listen to what is happening elsewhere. We focus on our path and our common thread. We are a strong group, we are all very united at the club, so we stay between us and we don’t care about outside opinions.

At the start of the season, did you imagine that you could potentially condemn your heart club, Usap, during this penultimate day?

Q.W : I don’t necessarily think about it. At the moment, I’m in Castres and I only have one thing in mind, it’s qualifying with the CO. That’s the game, that’s how it is. It is the law of transfers and professional sport. Last year, I gave everything, until the last second, for Perpignan to get into the Top 14, when I had already signed for Castres. And today, I’m giving everything for Castres, that’s undeniable. The sentimental side will only intervene at the 80th minute, when I will find my Usapist friends at the end of the match.

How do you explain your superb home unbeaten streak?

Q.W : At the Pierre-Fabre stadium, we all have our bearings and we have our supporters. During the reception of the Stade Toulousain, when we passed in front of all our supporters when getting off the bus, it was madness. After that, it’s impossible to go on the field and make a non-match. It’s wrong. Even if you’re not the best tactically or technically, desire counts a lot in rugby and you can’t cheat, being here, in Castres, with 12,500 people in the stadium, while the city only has 40 000 inhabitants. There is a causal link and this partly explains our invincibility at home. We feel good at Pierre-Fabre. It’s our home, so we want to keep it inviolate. We don’t want anyone to bother us at home, but rugby is rugby and in the current Top 14, you have to be careful of everything. Starting this weekend with Perpignan.

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