Montpellier’s High Ambitions and Recruitment Strategy in the Top 14 League

We are off again for a few weeks of Top 14 before returning to the semi-finals of Top 14. And for Montpellier, we will have to try to get off to a better start than in recent weeks, the club remaining with three defeats in a row: two in the championship (against Toulon and Stade Français), and the last in the round of 16 of the Challenge Cup against Ulster.

One week before the trip to Pau, the MHR is penultimate, that is to say in a position to compete in the access match and therefore still far from maintaining. But for Mohed Altrad, as he confided in an interview for Midi Libre, it is however out of the question to consider any hypothesis other than this maintenance.

I don’t accept it. As I said, we have two possibilities, therefore two chances (13th place with access-match or 12th place). I can’t imagine it (the descent in Pro D2). I am a business manager, therefore a builder. I seek to build the future. I see this future in the Top 14 and I have to build the squad for it.

High ambitions symbolized by recruitment

Mohed Altrad’s desire is clear but unfortunately, there are several other competing clubs who want the same thing. So wanting is one thing. Getting is another. But it is true that the president of the MHR is building the next seasons quite ambitiously, as a team guaranteed to remain in the elite. The arrival of Billy Vunipola is a symbol of this, and Mohed Altrad is proud to see that his club, despite its current poor position, manages to attract players of international caliber.

The proof with Vunipola. His brother, Mako (left pillar), was offered to us. We refused. The Jiff stars are all taken. The idea is to put as many Jiffs into the group as possible and have a few key international players who are charismatic. We also took New Zealand fullback Joshua Moorby.

We need impactful players, leaders. We don’t have many in the squad.