After only 20 minutes of play, the CO finds itself trailing 17 to 0 and we see you go down to the edge of the field. Why ?
Pierre-Henri Broncan
: We had to stop the bleeding because we were taking points too easily.
We made a start that cost us dearly.
It's special because we made a good exit from the camp, we managed to recover a ball and cross thanks to Botitu.
Unfortunately, we lose the ball and Geoffrey (
Palis
) tries something he has never tried since the start of the season.
He takes a somewhat crazy initiative, playing a little kick over the top which turns against him, against us.
Montpellier scored a try on their first visit to our camp.
It launches them into the game and we,
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Read alsoTop 14: Montpellier, a steamroller that crushed the final stages
Nothing smiled on you at the start of the match...
There was a missed penalty on our ropes, a missed penalty... Perhaps it was too much pressure for the players to come to the Stade de France to play a final against to a big team?
We had a good second half I think.
Unfortunately, we go into the in-goal three times and we can't score.
But we would have liked to be closer to the score.
If we score quickly, it's 23-10 and there are 30 minutes left… The start of the match, this first quarter of an hour hurts us a lot, that's for sure.
Afterwards we get back into the game but the difference was already made.
We started the game with too many individual shortcomings.
The collective failed and, even if it caught up afterwards, it was already too late...
“We must congratulate the Montpellier team which deserves its title of champion of France, there is nothing to say.
»
How do you explain this missed first half hour?
It is due to the quality of the Montpellier team, which made a very good start, which was very precise, and very opportunistic, with some good tries scored.
Zach (
Mercer
), who I know well from having had him at Bath, is the best English number 8 today.
He was impressive at the start of the game with a lot of continuity around him.
That's what made the difference at the start of the match.
We must congratulate the Montpellier team which deserves its title of champion of France, there is nothing to say.
Did the long protocol with the President of the Republic break the warm-up?
We are not used to it.
It is true that I found it very long.
After that it's like that.
Read alsoTops / Flops Montpellier-Castres: Imperial Bouthier, Arata non-existent
What impact did Urdapilleta's injured 13th-minute exit have?
He is our master to play.
Of course, it gets complicated when you lose your best player.
But you don't have to hide behind that.
We had opportunities to come back in the second half.
Precisely, how do you judge the reaction of your team after this bad start to the match?
We can't score quickly despite our chances, it's a shame.
We managed to cross this team, to cross it, but, unfortunately, thanks to their defensive energy, they tackled us in the in-goal and prevented from flattening.
Montpellier was very realistic.
These are high level matches.
You have to be very precise, very cold, and we weren't… We wanted to raise our heads because the first twenty minutes were really not us.
At least win the second half to get out of the field with another image.
“We know that we had to whip like donkeys to get there.
We can see that it's complicated for a team like ours to compete with the big teams..."
What do you remember from this final?
Lots of lessons.
The first, and I always say it, we have a team that has to be on the job to compete.
You can't have too many individual shortcomings otherwise it becomes too complicated.
But we will continue to build and move forward in an increasingly dense Top 14.
Given the recruitment everywhere, we must not fall asleep.
We will continue to work in our corner to try to progress.
This match is also full of lessons for our players, for the quality of our group.
Who can and must still go up a notch.
How do you assess this season?
We are not stupid.
We are first and in the final, so we are very proud of our season.
But we know that we had to whip like donkeys to get there.
We can see that it's complicated for a team like ours to compete with the big teams...
Comments collected in the mixed zone at the Stade de France