How do you see the course of Agen, the club where you made your professional debut?
Brice Dulin:
It's hard.
Personally, this is the club where I started.
We realize that he is having a very bad season.
Beyond playing the maintenance, it must be very difficult for this group.
For the city and the people who follow the club too ...
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A season without any victory is unheard of ...
Yes it's unheard of. There are some players who have had climbs and descents, who are there for years and who have only known this club. It is especially for them that I have thoughts because they made sure that the club can go up in Top 14 and live moments like that behind, it's hard after all the investment that there is had until now.
Critics are violent towards the players on behalf of their president or members of the staff who speak of "black sheep" within the club ...
We, we read the comments.
We're not inside, we don't know how it's going.
I know Mathieu Barrau (the SUA physical trainer) a little, he is whole, he says what he thinks.
It's hard for the people who have been there for years and who have made sure that the club finds the joys of the Top 14. Living this season, it must weigh on them.
I hope it will get better in the future.
“For the moment, we have done things the right way. We were serious and efficient. But we didn't win anything ”
The Agenais will have nothing to lose, how can they put La Rochelle in danger?
Quite simply if we, on our side, do not put things in order. By being respectful of the game. We built our season by being serious, we rely on our strengths, we are also clear on the weaknesses of our opponents. We will have to continue to give everything we can at 100%. If we don't put commitment and seriousness in our game, regardless of the opponent in front, it's complicated. The only black point that there could be tomorrow (Saturday), it could be our commitment and our seriousness over 80 minutes.
Do you manage to prepare for this match against your training club like the other matches?
With the few years that I have behind me, we manage to ignore all that. Whatever the context. We focus on us and our goal. We must not forget that we are aiming for a qualification, we are aware of our current position (2nd behind Toulouse, Editor's note) but there are very few matches and opportunities left to avoid playing a dam. We must capitalize on all that, continue our progress and stay on a linear and progressive pace compared to what we have done. Everything will count. We must be efficient on each meeting.
Are you also looking at what Racing is doing, your other former club, which is third just behind you?
I'm going to watch because I love to watch rugby.
We observe, yes, what our competitors are doing.
There are few matches left and we expect to see them in the near future.
“We spent the winter in the cold, without an audience, we have the chance to continue playing especially. Last season, we were stopped. For me, that's all good '”
In view of your ranking and the matches you still have to play (Agen, Pau, Clermont), do you feel in a position of strength?
For the moment, we have done things the right way. We were serious and efficient. But we didn't win anything. We are in a position to play a European Cup final (May 22 against Toulouse). And we are on the way to qualifying in Top 14. It is far from satisfactory. It's good compared to our start to the season, which was good, progressive. We had small empty passages where we were able to keep our backs. We must continue. Of course, we have a rather favorable schedule on paper, but it will not be easy.
You were spared after the victory against Leinster. Has it allowed you to regenerate?
It helps to recover from small pains. It also allows the whole group to work. It is often said that a season is played with 40-50 players, it is. For me, we didn't run, we gave the opportunity to players who are capable of playing at that level. It's good for the future. Seeing that there are performing players behind us also boosts. The more homogeneous the group and the more possibilities there are for the staff, the better the team will be. It is in these moments that young people can climb that we can count on them.
Did qualifying for the Champions Cup final boost your confidence?
It is always beneficial to have a dynamic where we play both ways.
People wonder if we will be able to manage fatigue.
But when we have the chance to be able to these moments, we forget the fatigue.
We spent the winter in the cold, without an audience, we have the chance to continue playing especially.
Last season, we were stopped (on the 17th day).
For me, that's all good.
It is happiness, pleasure.
Especially in the European Cup, where we know it's a sprint to qualify.
There we play a final.
All lights are green.
The dynamics are good, everyone is invested and gives 100%.
Now we will have to be able to achieve great things.
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