The aftermath of the holidays is often painful in the Top 14. Clermont and Castres, crowned French champions in 2017 and 2018, suffered, the following season, from a terrible hangover which forced them to fight to maintain their position. Montpellier, which raised the first Brennus shield in its history in 2022, is experiencing similar adventures. The Hérault club first finished 11th last season, before sinking this year: bottom of the Top 14 with only two small victories. The first at the opening of the championship, against La Rochelle, on August 20, and the second, last weekend against Castres. In the middle of all this, an endless tunnel of 125 days without a victory and a black series of eight consecutive losses in the Top 14.
A catastrophic start, far from the ambitions displayed by president-owner Mohed Altrad, which was fatal to the Englishman Richard Cockerill, unable to get the club out of the rut. To try to restart the machine, the businessman called on Bernard Laporte, which did not go without controversy, the two men having been condemned for entering into a “corruption pact” (they appealed and will be retried in 2024). The former president of the FFR then rebuilt, in a short time, the Montpellier staff around Patrice Collazo, dismissed shortly before by Brive, with Vincent Etcheto (three-quarters), Christian Labit (forwards) and Antoine Battut (sidelines) as deputies.
Laporte’s priority was then to “create unity, positive communication between the players, a desire to be the best,” he detailed on RMC. Be proud to wear this jersey, to represent this club. What came back to me is that there is no unity, no enthusiasm, clans…. This all has to stop.” According to him, certain players would not have the performance corresponding to their emoluments and there could be a big clean-up in the squad next season. “Some had resigned in quite a few sectors, there we feel that they are present”, nevertheless greeted Collazo after the victory against Castres.
On the pitch, things took a little time to (re)establish themselves, with a defeat at home against Oyonnax and another in Bayonne. Before seeing the end of the tunnel. Finally. The MHR first achieved two convincing successes in the Challenge Cup, against the English Newcastle (19-24) and against the Welsh Ospreys (38-5). Then the Cistes (the cistus flower is the emblem of the club) were able to spend Christmas warm thanks to this success in the championship over the CO. We had to go back to the end of October-beginning of November 2022 to find traces of three consecutive victories for the MHR. A little eternity. “It’s not a sigh of relief, it’s above all a reward for the players in relation to what they showed,” underlined Collazo, the former strong man of La Rochelle and Toulon. There was a collective energy, periods where we gave everything, others where we were cornered without giving up anything. I’m happy for the guys when we see them in the locker room, for the staff too. This victory is worth more than four points, it is worth a lot of symbolic things.”
If the MHR is still at the back of the pack, the gap on the first pursuers has narrowed, with only five points behind Lyon and Oyonnax, who are outside the red zone. And, this Saturday (2 p.m.), the trip to Gerland on the LOU lawn promises to be crucial. Between two teams with thwarted ambitions, forced to fight for their survival. “The Challenge allowed us to clear our heads,” confides international opener Louis Carbonel. We are in a group dynamic, with a different discourse.” And added: “We no longer have the right to make mistakes at home, already. And if we manage to recover points away from home…” Two days before mid-season, a new competition is starting for the MHR. To once again become the steamroller he was only 18 months ago.
