A real maintenance final against Rouen

Knowing that it is difficult to see Bourg-en-Bresse hang Bayonne, in the event of victory against Rouen, this evening, the SUA would be 13 points ahead of 15th place. It would therefore be necessary for the Burgiens, in the last four matches, to win more than three simple victories. So mathematically, if successful tonight, Goutta’s men would not be maintained. But in reality…

These apothecary calculations, the SUA coaches do not care. “It will not be over after Rouen, launches Sylvain Mirande. We saw it with their victory in Vannes last Friday”. “We must approach this match by remaining very humble and above all, by being aware of our real context: the maintenance”, answers David Ortiz.

Several times this season, Agen has had the opportunity to get out of the danger zone and settle in the soft underbelly. But never succeeded because of his performances on the outside. Armandie nevertheless remains a stronghold and must imperatively remain so.

“Muscular” session on Monday

Returning from the holidays, the players were challenged. A semi-final in Montauban, a final against Rouen. “We lost the half, but we’re still playing the final…”, plague Mirande. The staff was, in fact, particularly upset after the derby. The tasteless sixty minutes annoyed. So, for the recovery, Monday, a muscular recovery, with real ammunition, has been scheduled. “These high-stakes end-of-season matches are very committed. We have to raise the aggressiveness slider to the highest level”, justifies the three-quarter coach.

At Sapiac, all this had remained well sheltered from the icy wind in the changing rooms. “It’s also one of our problems. The guys don’t realize the reality. We had to be really tough when we were losing a string of defeats at the start of the season for them to react. created, everyone saw us as beautiful. It was perhaps the fault of those around us who were talking about qualifying… We don’t need that. We are in the race to maintain, we have to have that and only that in mind”.

Sin of pride forbidden

Would the SUA sometimes play with their hands on top of the handlebars? The sentence “we saw ourselves too beautiful” by Corentin Vernet in the corridors of Sapiac suggests it. But tonight the sin of pride is forbidden. In Vannes, Rouen demonstrated that the trauma of the death of Jordan Michallet was digested. Even that the RNR has made it a force to seek maintenance. “It’s a team that has nothing to lose, uninhibited,” said David Ortiz. Evidenced by the three away wins this season.

“Frankly, what they are doing after what they have been through, it’s strong, underlines Sylvain Mirande again. It’s a team of character with a real game background.” Pugnacious and mobile, the Normans are never easy to play. If the Agenais in doubt, they can remember the first leg. Physically stronger, they had not been able to press where it hurts and had logically been beaten by being, as often, very rough on the outside. “Our season is a reflection of our inconsistency in a match,” grumbles Mirande. His friend Ortiz therefore calls on his men to “a successful match” to be able to blow a good blow.