Now 3rd in Group 1, C’Chartres Rugby must get back on track quickly. Interview with his manager, Renaud Gourdon.
What feeling prevails after your first defeat of the season?
Quite a bit of frustration because there was room to bring home four points, rather than just one. We have the match in hand until the start of stoppage time. Afterwards, we make several errors which allow the opponent to win at the finish.
The match escaped you in the final minutes: how do you explain it?
We were weak in closed scrums, especially in the first half. This is something that worries me as we are used to dominating in this sector. We lost the ball on a penalty even though we had won all the previous ones, we made a forward move and we conceded this try (80’+2) which cost us the match. Then, the referee announces four minutes of stoppage time and he only gives two minutes… Incomprehensible!
The CCR loses its invincibility at Nuits
Given the scenario of the game, are there reasons for satisfaction?
Not everything has to be thrown away, obviously. Last season, we chased the score the entire game (22-19 defeat). There, we are in front at half-time (11-13) and again at the start of added time (23-26). We know that we are not yet playing our best rugby but it is much better in content than in our two previous matches.
“No pack, no victory”
Did fatigue play a role in this defeat?
We can’t hide behind that because we don’t know what it would have been like if we had approached the meeting in better conditions. But it is obvious that getting the guys up at 4 a.m. to hit the road at 5 a.m. is not optimal with a view to performing with one of the very best teams in the group.
The Servette de Genève arrives on Sunday…
Yes, we will have to quickly regenerate and move forward. Because Servette strengthened considerably in the off-season. On paper, it’s a step above Nuits-Saint-Georges. Because, unlike Nuits, the Genevans have the depth of the bench to string together performances, including away.
Chartres wants to continue, at Nuits
In which sector will the match be played?
As the English often say, “no pack, no victory”. Geneva demonstrated it last season, its forward pack is formidable. If we don’t put in the necessary intensity, the reversing radar risks ringing for a good part of the match…
Last season, you won against Claude-Panier at the end of the suspense (18-16 success at the last second, on a try from Ndiaye)…
Yes, I would like to be able to have more margin before the money-time but I must admit it: I would know how to be satisfied with a victory, even if it is snatched in the final moments and it makes my old man palpitate heart !
AND BREF
Thomas injured. Main architect of the Chartres success against Le Havre (33-25) on September 24, and still valuable at Nuits, Shaan Thomas went out injured at half-time this Sunday. The CCR center suffers from a sprained ankle and will be unavailable for at least two weeks.
David Berthélem
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