Last Saturday in Lyon, the Rouge et Noir lost all the benefit of their good first 70 minutes in the money-time. By conceding two tries against, they were overthrown by LOU (27-15), who took the opportunity to take the offensive bonus. Which was not to Pierre Mignoni’s taste. “We are going to stop finishing the seasons two points behind qualification, gets angry the director of Var rugby. This year’s theme is consistency. And to be consistent, you have to be constant, all the time. It’s difficult but you have to be at least in the important moments.”
A defeat at the start of the season can happen, even if the RCT is betting heavily on this first block of three matches before a long break. But a second on the recently renovated lawn of the Mayol stadium, this Saturday evening against Bayonne, would inevitably be messy. And the specter of yet another failed start to the season after which the club must run in vain would resurface.
Serin already back
However, in line with their excellent 2022-23 exercise, the Basques started the Top 14 with a big victory against the defending champion, Toulouse (26-7). “I was not surprised to see them at this level“, admits Mignoni, who notes that Rowing can count on “a full staff“where the Toulonnais are deprived of many internationals.
They still recover one, Baptiste Serin, not retained in who will start the World Cup. Arrived Wednesday evening in Toulon, the scrum-half trained on Thursday with his partners but will that be enough to master the automatisms?
“Physically he is very, very good and mentally I find him very positive. He accepts the decision of the staff of the France team. And he asked me to playsmiled his manager. When one of your best players asks you to play and you need him, you make him play.”
In front of the full stands of Mayol, Mignoni wants to see his team “have fun and make people happy. A generous Toulon team, fighting, playful, exciting, the public feels it right away. This is what I want to see this Saturday“.
Toulon-Bayonne: 2nd day of Top 14, at 9 p.m., Félix-Mayol stadium. Live on Canal +.
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