Bordeaux-Bègles “is on absolute vigilance”, its manager Yannick Bru imaged on Friday before returning to La Rochelle, the claimed black beast of the UBB, on Saturday evening during a clash between contenders for qualification for the Top play-offs 14.
Two small points separate the UBB, currently 3rd, and the Maritimes who occupy 5th place before going with confidence to Bordeaux, where they have regularly gained the upper hand in recent years over their Gironde hosts whose last victory dates back to December 22 2019 (20-15).
The beating suffered last season (36-6) at Matmut Atlantique was not openly mentioned this week “but it is in everyone’s heads”, agreed fullback Romain Buros.
“It’s the statistics that speak,” recognizes Bru. La Rochelle has created a habit here in Bordeaux in the past. It’s up to us to make a change this year if we want to continue to control our destiny and qualify.”
“Every match is crucial for all the contenders, each misstep in the last four matches will bring us closer to the grave,” he recalled.
The Bordeaux technician, who believes that the first two places occupied by Stade Français and Toulouse “are almost inaccessible”, therefore spoke of “absolute vigilance” to his players, invigorated by their two successes against Clermont (41-7) and Bayonne. (34-15) before last week’s cut.
“La Rochelle is formidable with its Panzerdivision, it will hit hard, hit hard,” he warned. We know their DNA, we know what they will oppose to our speed, we are prepared to change things and remain masters here in Chaban which must remain an inviolate house.
