Return day at MHR. And the first best-of ‘conf of the season before the match against Toulon this Saturday (9:05 p.m.). Manager Philippe Saint-André, the returning Geoffrey Doumayrou and captain Guilhem Guirado presented themselves in front of the microphones this Thursday, September 2. Selected pieces.
No lie-in this Thursday, September 2, Montpellier. Not that the MHR has asked its players to come earlier to train. On the contrary. The Hérault club has postponed the day’s session by one hour to give parents the opportunity to leave the children at school, on this return to school day.
It is therefore at the time when the bellies are rumbling, around 1 p.m., that manager and players presented themselves to the journalists for the first press conference of the year. Here is the first best-of of the season.
Philippe Saint-André: “In the summer, you don’t have a lot of matches, you train, everyone is happy, everyone is happy”
The MHR manager knows the inter-seasons by heart. Before starting a new exercise, especially after such an end to the season as the Montpellier residents have experienced, the spirits are euphoric. New players, new landmarks to find, the excitement of a new season, new ambitions (or not) … The pressure in summer is easing. It will revive quickly this Saturday (9:05 pm) in the corridors of Félix-Mayol, for the first day of Top 14 against Toulon.
Philippe Saint-André: “I have the impression that we were not wrong”
For recruitment, Philippe Saint-André and his staff are confident. But they are aware of it, the real faces of the new players (Mercer, Tauleigne, Hamadache, Doumayrou …) will be discovered on the field. “For now, yes, they are good on touchdowns and ball games,” smiled PSA. To see Saturday in front of the RCT.
Geoffrey Doumayrou “I want to show that I am still there, present rugbyly”
The Montpellier center Geoffrey Doumayrou, back at the MHR after nine years in exile, does not intend to rest on its laurels despite its experience and its high level experience. “I fear my integration in the same way as in another club. That’s why I like to change clubs, it calls me into question” he explained. Jan Serfontein and Arthur Vincent are warned, “Doum” will not escape because he is international or champion of France with Stade Français.
The infirmary
Deprived of its French internationals until the second day of Top 14 (Forletta, Bécognée, Bouthier, Vincent) and southerners (Reinach, Pollard, Van Rensburg and Paenga-Amosa), the MHR will also have to compose without several injuries. Kélian Galletier (right arm fracture), Yacouba Camara (shoulder) and Mickaël Capelli (shoulder) are already forfeited. In the good news department, left pillar Mikhail Nariashvili is finally back after an almost blank last season.
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Guilhem Guirado: “We have a very high goal”
The hooker and captain Guilhem Guirado no longer knows the anxiety of the microphones. At 35, the Catalan knows what he wants for his last year as a professional. “We have a very high goal, with a lot of ambitions in the game that we want to set up. But it will stay within the group,” he says, with a grin. Facing his former Toulon teammates, Guirado will want to show the way on Saturday.
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