The promoted is resisting.
For its return to the Top 14, Aviron Bayonnais seems determined to play the spoilsports.
Current 9th in the championship with 17 points, just like Racing (8th) and Castres (7th), the Basque club could settle in the Top 6 in the event of victory against Stade Toulousain this Saturday at 9 p.m.
To discover
Schedule and Top 14 results
Ranking Top 14
Four home successes and four away defeats at the start of the season for Bayonne, including a prestigious victory on October 8 against La Rochelle 29 to 13. Out of its bases, the club which got rid of Biarritz during the accession dam this summer, does not succeed.
As during the last trip and a 39-22 conceded in Castres.
“
It's a trip to zero points yet we had given ourselves the means to compete with the CO,
blew Maxime Machenaud after the meeting.
We still have a lot of room for improvement.
I have the impression that we are not far from the truth but the matches on the road are similar.
We have lessons to learn from this meeting.
We compete, but not for the whole match and that's what the
“This Saturday, it is in Jean-Dauger that Bayonne will receive the five-time European champion club.
Read alsoTop 14: Aviron Bayonnais stays the course at the start of the season
Worn by Jean-Dauger
For its return to the Top 14, Rowing has made its stadium an impregnable sanctuary.
Facing Toulouse, the stadium will once again be sold out.
The fifth straight time in as many games this season.
“
I don't know if they
(the opponents, editor's note)
will come on alert, but Jean-Dauger, it's a whole context
, warns Phillipe Tayeb, club president since 2018.
The new stadium has nothing to do with it.
We took out this athletics track which took us away from this atmosphere, we brought the stand closer.
The players tell me “when you get tired, you are carried by the sixteenth man, it's fabulous.”
The sporting performance is there, but the environment allows the players to realize that when they play Rowing, it's 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The butcher, the butcher, the baker, the mechanic. .. everyone looks at you, talks to you about Rowing!
It's a daily pressure.
It is important that these players are proud of this jersey they wear, of this culture, of the DNA of our club
”.
The Jean-Dauger Stadium can accommodate 13,507 people.
Panoramic.
A philosophy shared by the coach, Grégory Patat.
“
Here, we have only one pressure, it is that the players do not respond present, in terms of the state of mind and the intensity of the fight.
It's the only duty I ask of them: to wet the jersey 200% to be in line with the environment.
“A season that is off to a strong start.
After a defeat in Toulon (40-25), Bayonne strikes a blow at home by taking Racing (31-25).
“
It's important to win matches at home,
insists Éric Artiguste, defense coach.
I'm not saying we're going to make an impression, but we're going to be a little more respected.
When you are promoted, others come to you to win.
»
Read alsoTop 14: a Puma commits to Bayonne
An elder leads the boat
For its return to the elite of French rugby, the club three times champion of France (1913, 1934, 1943) has struck a blow on the transfer market.
No less than 15 players arrived on the Basque coast, including big names such as Quentin Béthune (ex Stade Français), Facundo Bosch (ex La Rochelle), Maxime Machenaud (ex Racing) or Camille Lopez (ex Clermont).
However, since the start of the season, it is an "old" of the house that stands out.
With eight starts (out of eight possible) and 606 minutes played, Gaëtan Germain is the most used Bayonnais.
There is only one match (against Castres on October 15) that the full-back hasn't finished.
Effective in the opposing in-goal with already two tries, the former Brive and Grenoble is especially valuable against the posts.
With 103 points scored since the start of the season, including 93 on foot, Gaëtan Germain is the second best scorer in the championship behind Toulouse's Thomas Ramos.
A remote duel which will not take place this Saturday since three-quarters of the Stadium is retained with the Blues.
It allows you to work in good conditions rather than having a headache.
For the party to be beautiful next week with the reception of Toulouse, we had to win against Perpignan
Gregory Patat
“
My regularity as a scorer, my kicking game is very precious to me
, agrees the main interested party.
This
status has been a great strength for my career, an opportunity.
So I have to use it.
But the stats, the figures, even if we look a lot, it's not just that.
For example, the fact of having been able to score tries last year
(eight registered in Pro D2, his best season, editor's note),
to participate so much offensively, it is just as important in my eyes.
And here, despite my 32 years, I think I still have a good margin of progress..
Precious against the poles, Gaëtan Germain is Bayonne's No. 1 asset this season.
With 103 points scored, the back is responsible for 55% of his team's points.
Arrived in 2020 on the Basque coast, the Bayonne n°15 has extended until 2025 with Bayonne.
It will be, for the ninth consecutive time, holder against Stade Toulousain.
Gaëtan Germain has landed 35 kicks against the poles this season.
Panoramic.
Read alsoTop 14: "We beat the European champion, another big one who falls at home", rejoices Lopez (Bayonne)
Received 5 out of 5 against Toulouse?
In the last home game, Bayonne suffered.
Facing Perpignan, in a duel for maintenance, Aviron ended up winning 24-20.
A welcome result a week before facing Stade Toulousain.
“
It is important for the construction of our history to win this match
, underlines Grégory Patat after the meeting
.
It allows you to work in good conditions rather than having a headache.
For the party to be beautiful next week with the reception of Toulouse, we had to win against Perpignan.
Facing Stade Toulousain, Bayonne will be able to count on all their forces present, while the Rouge et Noir will have to do without their best players, who have left for Marcoussis.
They are nine retained by Fabien Galthié, while Cyril Baille returns as a substitute.
A shock in times of doubles this Saturday evening in a Jean-Dauger which promises to be boiling, which will also serve as a great first in the Top 14 since it is the New Zealander Ben O'Keeffe (33 years old) who will be at the whistle during the match.
A designation that is not trivial since this young referee, but already very experienced, will officiate in Europe during the November Tour.
We will find him very quickly in the center of the field during the France-Australia match on November 5th.
Like a taste.
Read alsoWhen rugby referees go to the other side of the barrier
