After two away defeats and a victory at Aimé-Giral, from an accounting point of view the USAP has garnered fewer points than some of its direct competitors in maintenance.
Initial lessons have been learned at the end of the 3e Top 14 day for the USAP. Ignoring the technical aspect for once, there, the interest is only on its balance sheet. Considering their achievements and their numerical failures, the direct competitors in the maintenance of blood and gold, which are Brive, Biarritz Olympique, and Section Paloise, respectively garnered 10, 8 and 5 points. And the USAP, 4. “The Top 14 will not be made only on direct confrontations, that we know, observes USAP coach Patrick Arlettaz. We have to work a lot in order not to have any regrets. What Biarritz has done (since the start of the season, Editor’s note), I do not see why we should not do it. It will be difficult, it’s a long championship. We are only on the third day but all points count. We owe it to ourselves to do better exit after exit and to be able to collect points every time that arises. “ As some of the USAP peers already have.
5 points for away opponents
Firstly, Biarritz defeated UBB (27-15) and Racing 92 (28-19), two teams that potentially could be in the Top 6 of the competition. These two victories were acquired at the start of the championship and at home, admittedly without any bonus. At the same time, the USAP has so far received only once. And it was precisely … Biarritz, who lost and did not win any point of his trip to Perpignan. A lesser evil.
Secondly, Brive made a big hit against USAP from the first day (36-15) and recently against Pau (30-13), each time at Amédée-Domenech, and each time with an offensive bonus. These are two great operations. As seen for Biarritz previously, the Coujous did not yet secure a point after moving to Montpellier (39-17).
Third, Pau has moved twice in three matches (at Castres, 16-12 loss, and at Brive, 30-13 loss). But the Section Paloise seized a defensive bonus point against Castres and beat a Top 6 at home, the LOU, by the score of 21-17. With defensive bonus to the key for the visitors.
Regarding blood and gold: in two trips, two defeats are to be deplored (Brive 36-15 and Lyon 47-3) with the offensive bonus gleaned by the opponents each time. Faced with this observation, the future teams opposite will have the ambition to do the same against the promoted Catalan. In a Top 14 that has never been so tight (Clermont, La Rochelle, Stade Français and Toulon are far from the top of the standings), the USAP will have to make sure to store points in its next two matches in home against Toulon (Saturday September 25) and Pau (Saturday October 2). To do good for the ranking and morale.
–
