Montauban Wins at Féria du Novillo, Marked by Return of Mohamed Haouas – Olympic Biarritz vs Montauban Scrimmage Recap

Whatever happens here, stays here. And everything that happens outside of a field could stay outside of a field. But this is a very complicated matter. In Hagetmau, a small town in the Landes, Mohamed Haouas made his first appearance in the Biarritz jersey. A small event in itself. For two reasons. Firstly because he is part of the admittedly late but rather attractive recruitment of Olympic Biarritz. The right pillar, strong on his qualities and his international career (16 selections with the French XV) is enough to make most Pro D2 scrums tremble.

But this Friday evening, the former Montpellier did not only attract attention for his physical qualities. For those who missed an episode, the arrival of Mohamed Haouas on Basque soil had the effect of a bomb. Recently sentenced to one year in prison (without arrest warrant) for domestic violence and eighteen months in prison, nine of which were suspended for “aggravated violence” in the so-called “bakery” affair, it was in a tense context that the pillar arrived. Facts which had something cool down the leaders of ASM Clermont where the one who has not yet finished with justice was initially supposed to play this season. This is how Olympic Biarritz offered itself a pillar well above the Pro D2 level.

The second chance

Now that the scene is set, all you had to do was stroll through the aisles of the Cité Verte stadium to realize that the subject Haouas had not finished talking. The most faithful were not installed in the stands but at the edge of the field. “He is there. I hope he will be impeccable”, shouted a supporter when he saw the pillar tumble onto the lawn. Tongues were loosened but open microphone, the subject was almost taboo. In conversations, a point of convergence: the second chance. “What happened is unacceptable but I think it’s a good thing that Olympic Biarritz gave him a chance,” Francis explains. “It’s unacceptable, I understand those who don’t want to see him in our jersey. But why wouldn’t he have the right to a second chance? If he hadn’t signed for Biarritz, he would have found another club “, continues Antoine.

Everyone condemned the facts, talked about them, some even sought to understand but everyone seemed to have forgotten the hesitation of the first moments, seeing not the man he is off the field but a quality player. One thing is certain, it was his name that we heard in the four corners of the stands. Mohamed Haouas came on in the second half. Things started off rather badly with a first penalty whistled against the former MHR player. But the pillar recovered and still impressed with its power. At the slightest impact, “gently Haouas”, repeated a supporter. In the scrum the observation was simple: the BO won all its scrums in the second half. The international level is undeniable, although it has not been omnipresent either.

Sometimes a little haggard on the pitch, it will take a little more time for the pillar to fully assimilate the game plan. A rather discreet return but of an effectiveness that could not be denied. On the left of the scrum and beyond the qualities he showed (very mobile, clean in the rucks and undeniably very effective in the scrum), Zakaria El Fakir has also caused ink to flow in recent days. A complaint for domestic violence which adds to the already busy extra-sporting context of Olympic Biarritz. This was enough to provoke a reaction as the two men found themselves side by side in the fray. “It’s a lot… “, confessed a supporter. Hoping that the Basque club manages to be talked about for its results on the field more than for what happens off it… In any case, sportingly it was a first failure against Montauban.