You are missing just one being and everything can be depopulated. For a quarter, this has been the story of the double European champion, who got off to a bad start (4 wins and 8 losses) at the start of the season which he knew would be complicated in advance due to the absence, more or less long. , of his many internationals. The return of the tonnage of Uini Atonio and Will Skelton, of the punch of Jonathan Danty has not completely restored the Maritimes’ composure, which was still missing an ingredient, spotted for some time: Grégory Alldritt.
Even if it was not officially announced on the match sheet against the French champion Toulouse, there is almost no doubt that the stakhanovist of the La Rochelle pack and the Blues (92 matches played since the Covid cut in spring 2020, including 84 as holder) will set foot on the Deflandre meadow. Last week, Irish forwards coach Donnacha Ryan hinted, smirking: “I know he’s training at the moment. He’s almost there.”
Confirmation this week with the training photos published Wednesday by the club on social networks, heralding an early return of this exemplary 26-year-old warrior. “He is well regenerated, his skin almost glows,” laughed Atonio about the two and a half months spent by Alldritt away from rugby, since the quarter-final lost against South Africa (28-29). ), to recharge your batteries physically and mentally, with family – with a recent vacation in Costa Rica, hence her tanned complexion clearly visible in the photos.
As his coach Gurthro Steenkamp repeated on Thursday, “the return of Greg will not change everything either”. But he can only do good. “We are aware that we missed his leadership,” continues the South African technician. “He has a lot of experience and he is respected in the team. He’s good when it comes to putting pressure on so for sure, he’ll make the difference this weekend,” promises scrum-half Tawera Kerr-Barlow, thus spilling the beans.
The centerpiece of Ronan O’Gara’s chessboard, his aura, even more significant since the retirement in the spring of Romain Sazy, tutelary figure of the Maritimes during the last decade, materialized in a documentary broadcast by the club on December 25, in which he delivered a motivating talk to his brothers in arms.
“He’s the real captain of Stade Rochelais,” said Danty before taking on this role at Stade Français last week – and being excluded, which will deprive him on Saturday of the remake of the last Top 14 final lost on the wire by the Maritimes (26-29).
“Greg is good for the group and the club,” summarizes Atonio. I don’t know if his return will have the effect of a detonator, and we’re not going to put everything on his shoulders. He must return peacefully and it is up to us to do the work to put him in the best possible condition.”
Since he returned to training, Alldritt has already brought his energy and lucidity, as usual. “It’s good to see him outside too, especially in meetings where he always brings the little detail that can make the difference and that is important for us,” explains Steenkamp. When there is trash in training, he brings the group together to find the right words. It’s impressive, he’s not even 30 years old and you’d think he’s already had a 10-year career.” Including a few very long weeks of living without him.
