The second row Victor Moreaux will start for the first time this season, in La Rochelle (Saturday at 5pm), with the blood and gold jersey.
A big boy. Victor Moreaux (29 years old on Monday, 2.00 m, 127 kg) arrived this summer from Racing 92 to reinforce the second line of the USAP. Fired from Castres Olympique for “serious misconduct” in May 2020 *, Tarn-et-Garonnais by birth went to Agen for the relaunch. Unfortunately, the player trained at the Stade Toulousain experienced the sadly historic season of the USA with his 26 defeats in as many games. Relegated to Pro D2, Victor Moreaux then received an offer from Racing 92 in September 2021 to sign as a medical joker for Baptiste Pesenti. 12 matches with the Ile-de-France club, which allowed him to reconnect with a taste for the pitch and success. On Saturday (17:00) in La Rochelle, the second line is preparing to live its first term with its new blood and gold colors. With envy. And as the “new Victor”, who just became the father of a little Charlie last July.
Why did you choose USAP last summer?
It is a team that suits me for the closeness that the players have with the people here. I really enjoyed the atmosphere on Saturday, even though it was disappointing in the end. But it’s also about being close to your audience. Knowing how to be rewarded and celebrate when you win, and know how to be insulted when you lose. It is boring at that moment, we lower our heads, we quickly leave the stadium because we are ashamed. We must not believe that we are going home, we are celebrating, we are happy. We are the first to be ashamed in front of the public. But the audience is very close and makes you want to work so as not to disappoint the people around the club.
How was your integration in this group, in this city?
Rather nice. I knew some players, he was quite welcoming. Overall, whether it’s staff, players, volunteers, everything went well. Even with the fans I met at the supermarket (You smile).
Are you coming with a spirit of revenge?
No, I have no revenge to take. I come here as a new Victor, who has just been dad. I don’t claim to have my place because I come from Racing. Arrive, work, I want to earn my job. I didn’t complain because I was a substitute for the first two games. If I have to play, it’s my turn to peel it. I have one goal: to keep this club in the Top 14.
“Everyone will do their best to earn their place”
With what ambitions are you coming to La Rochelle?
With the desire to do better than the previous two weekends (defeats against Pau and Brive). So, not necessarily on the result, because we go, in all humility, to the European champion. And we haven’t fooled ourselves all week thinking we have to go and win there. We go there mainly to correct the things and mistakes that have plagued the previous two weekends. So, in particular, the desire to keep the ball. Because the incalculable number of balls lost last week … There is also a desire to correct the touch and the scrum, because we will surely face one of the best French and European packs. Everyone has a very, very good opposite level. And if every player aims to be the best he can against his opponent, he can do a nice little trick. So, we have nothing to lose. Everything to win. Everyone gives us more than one loser.
How did the group digest this defeat against Brive?
We slept very badly this weekend. On Monday, we all arrived upside down. Then we had a staff who explained to us that they had analyzed the game, seen the data, everything they had to see … And that they hadn’t been scammed. There was bad luck, a strange, very unstable game. But no one had betrayed, no one had to be ashamed and it was happening. We must continue on the right path and not bury ourselves right away. We only did two days, there is a little left. You have to maintain a good mood, confidence and work well.
In La Rochelle, for you as for the young players, there will be the desire to show themselves in the eyes of the staff …
Yes, everyone will do their best to earn their jobs, that’s for sure. After that, all the players who have not played, myself included, understand perfectly well that there is an old structure with many leaders that we have to maintain because that gives the team confidence. And, right there, with the team that has been made for this weekend, leaders who will change, they don’t have to cry all over the place. We have to stay calm, trust them and be soldiers. You have to be 100% with them in their choice, and that might give something. Because if everyone does their own, it will be catastrophic.
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