Never two without three ?
In its unprecedented triple confrontation with La Rochelle, Union Bordeaux-Bègles has already fallen on the first two steps.
And the "beautiful" Saturday at Marcel-Deflandre promises to be the most complicated against the Maritimes who struck a blow at Chaban-Delmas (13-31).
“We are not going to lie to each other, we took a big hit on the carafe.
La Rochelle dominated his subject
,” admitted Girondin back Nans Ducuing.
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Schedule and Top 14 results
Ranking Top 14
To go up such a delay, outside, seems almost impossible.
“We have this feeling of having been helpless,
continues Ducuing.
This trilogy starts badly, we receive twice, we lose twice and we lose well today
(Saturday).
The UBB appeared so helpless, without solutions.
And the Bordeaux manager Christophe Urios to recognize:
“It's hard to believe when there are 18 points to go up when you go to La Rochelle.
You have to be proud to go and play the 3rd and 4th halves”
of these knockout stages of the Champions Cup in a round-trip format.
Read alsoRugby: Jalibert, after his repeated injuries, evokes his “resentment” towards the ex-UBB doctor
How to explain such a rout of the Girondins?
First of all, there are many absentees, in particular the opening half Matthieu Jalibert, the versatile Yoram Moefana and Ulupano Seuteni, the second-line Thomas Jolmes or the second or third-line Guido Petti.
It's a lot.
“We have to come back from the world to turn the guys around,”
insists Christophe Urios, aware that his team has sorely lacked power against the steamroller from La Rochelle.
“We were beaten by better than us, we were not up to it physically,
bluntly admits the Bordeaux technician.
What hurts us is our physique.
We suffer, we cling.
I saw an old team on the pitch when it would have taken enthusiasm.
We are unable to find the keys, to find the solutions.”
Pointed out without being directly named, the opener François Trinh-Duc (35 years old) and the number 8 Louis Picamoles (36 years old) were not up to the event against the caravel club.
There remains a match in a hostile context.
We will do everything to give them back their own coin
Nans Ducuing
A reaction of pride is therefore expected on Saturday.
History of leaving the Champions Cup with your head held high.
“We will have to get up and work.
We didn't manage to find each other, to put our game down. We work well during the week, there I don't know what to tell you, ”says
hooker Maxime Lamothe.
UBB's problems are nothing new: the club have lost seven times in their last eight outings since mid-December.
The evil is deep.
Still second in the Top 14, Bordeaux-Bègles has nevertheless seen its lead over its pursuers completely melt away.
This trip to La Rochelle – which remains on five victories in a row against the UBB – is not the easiest to put your mind back in place.
But the people of Bordeaux want to be positive and not let themselves be defeated.
“The European Cup is a magnificent competition, we want to continue our journey.
We have two halves left there, we will have to do our best to win these two halves, ”
insists Maxime Lamothe.
Nans Ducuing warns: “
There remains a match in a hostile context.
We will do everything to give them back their own coin.”
Problem, the Stade Rochelais, in full confidence, will not let themselves be walked on.
