USAP remains on two consecutive successes against Stade Français and Brive.
Still stuck in last place in the standings tied with the Corrèze club, the team trained by Patrick Arlettaz can potentially breathe some fresh air by beating Section Paloise, another poorly ranked, at Aimé Giral this Saturday (5 p.m.).
But the Catalan manager knows it, the game is not over.
Patrick Arlettaz answered, without waffling, our questions before this crucial match.
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Schedule and Top 14 results
Ranking Top 14
THE
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After two consecutive victories in the Top 14, do you think that the first match won against Stade Français was a click?
Patrick
ARLETTAZ
: Yes, that's for sure.
We were already not far from winning some matches, especially against Clermont away from home and it had been a while since we had won a success without the content being catastrophic.
So against Paris, things turned out in the right direction for us and confidence returned.
Against Brive, did you have the feeling of winning a first final?
Yes, but finals, we have a lot to play for!
And then they are always finals with matches behind when in general it closes a season (laughs).
It was a kind of final in the sense that this match counted double against a direct competitor for the maintenance.
We have others looming with confrontations against poorly ranked players and the distance championship continues against the teams that dominate the Top 14.
Genesis Mamea Lemalu is the man of the moment on the USAP side.
DIARMID COURREGES / AFP
What was your post-match speech at Brive?
It was presented as a kind of final.
We insisted on the fact that the match against Pau was also important, in front of our public against another competitor in maintenance.
We immediately focused on this meeting with in particular a week without a match which allowed us to recharge our batteries.
With seven tries in two games, you seem to have found your attacking game...
It all comes with trust.
We had the chance to score quite early against Stade Français, we created a lot of chances but we had trouble getting things done.
So we asked ourselves 20,000 questions.
With this extra confidence, it allows us to make the right gesture in the last 10 meters.
Our game has not changed but we are much more efficient.
“The only thing that has changed is ultimately this mentality of telling ourselves that we were on the right track.
We never doubted it, but when you have trouble getting results, you question everything”.
Patrick Arlettaz, USAP manager
Facing Brive, Edward Sawailau came back in very good shape after two difficult years. Is it also the symbol of this confidence evoked?
We waited for it for a while.
We knew he had potential but he had a string of injuries, minor sores and he was unlucky.
Against Brive, Jeronimo De la Fuente was ill.
Which means that he became a starter at the last minute and he responded in the most beautiful way.
We don't have an overly rich squad so we need good news like that!
But it's true that he did it beautifully.
Edward Sawailau, here ball in hand, was excellent against Brive.
DIARMID COURREGES / AFP
How do you see this match against Pau on Saturday? Are you still under pressure?
Anyway, here in Perpignan, we are always under pressure!
This is the hallmark of the club (
laughs
).
It doesn't change too much but this match is important since it would validate our comeback.
The Section Paloise is not very far from us in the standings.
Because in terms of potential, infrastructure and finances, it is really different from us.
We produced some great things in the first leg at home and then we have to confirm the away victory against Brive.
What has concretely changed since SF?
Not much in the end.
We talk a lot, the staff and the team are in osmosis.
The only thing that has changed is ultimately this mentality of telling ourselves that we were on the right track.
We never doubted it, but when you have trouble getting results, you question everything.
We have a few more smiles, we are more convinced of what we are achieving and the players no longer ask themselves many questions.
As soon as there is a disappointing result, we tend to create a mini-revolution and it eats us up a bit.
There, the smiles returned, the confidence too.
With a lot of effort, beautiful things can be done.
Jack Mcintyre and USAP brought down Stade Français.
RAYMOND ROIG / AFP
The contributions of newcomers like Ali Crossdale and Brad Shields have also brought a breath of fresh air to your squad...
This is very good news for us because normally, these are players that we cannot have given our budget.
There, the misfortune of some (the judicial liquidation of the Wasps) makes the happiness of others.
We were able to get into this market and so much the better because they are very good players.