The international window closed this Saturday evening with the match of the France team against England. Place now in the Top 14 with a series of matches this weekend, including an enticing Brive-Castres at the Stadium (5 p.m., Saturday March 26). The staff had given the players a week’s vacation to breathe after the match against La Rochelle, rugby players who therefore resumed training last week. How are the players doing physically? What did the physical trainers focus on? How to manage this end of the season? Elements of answers with the physical trainer of CA Brive, Dominique Schenck.
Dominique, how was the recovery for the CAB players?
We resumed with a little rugby and a little physical preparation. The idea is that we don’t lose everything we have acquired in the space of a week’s vacation. So we made little reminders ning a little cardio and small reminders in bodybuilding, but we are not back on a pre-season. We just did little reminders because we knew that regenerating was the best solution.
This regeneration, what does it take?
Well, for example, the players who had a week’s vacation last Monday, we went back to work called “Off fit”, that is to say, rather indoors, on Wat Bike or on a rower. We know that they haven’t exercised their lower limbs for a week, so we preferred to go for something a little softer. Afterwards, on Tuesday, we started on a slightly larger bodybuilding part, with also a rugby part. The coaches also wanted to gain some time on the preparation for the Castres match.
In short, we wanted to continue to keep freshness at the start of the week and at the end of the week, we gave a little more doses in physical preparation with physical blocks between the rugby games of the coaches. We also did a sort of “Strongman Olympiad” on the pitch to exercise the muscles of the body, as well as the cardio. That’s the goal for last week.
With the Six Nations Tournament and the international window, how did you manage those who continued to play while CAB was not playing?
During the tournament, when they were back with us, we tried to manage their start to the week each time so that they could regenerate well. Especially for the Georgians, because each time, they had a big trip to come back to France. It’s one of the things to consider. They will have chained almost 13 or 14 matches in a row. We will have to be aware of that and take charge of their workload for the week before there is a block of vacation that will be given to them, I think, for the next week, where we won’t have a match.
In what state of form is the group? How do you find them, you who only arrived at the club this season?
As I said at the start, when I arrived, I find that the group has a very solid base in terms of physical preparation, with skills that are above average. On this point of view, I have not changed my mind. The group is always hardworking, demanding. The guys are back from vacation and still want to surpass themselves. If I can give an image, during a session last week, there were players who ended up vomiting on their shoes during a strong indoor session. They have a desire to work and learn, which is very positive. Now, we will have to continue on this block of matches that we have left to maintain this energy and this consistency that we have had since the start of the season.
Let’s talk about it, precisely. In this calendar, there will be a big hole in May with three weeks without matches. Are you starting to talk about it with the staff for the organization?
Yes, we are thinking about it with the coaches, to organize these three weeks, in the event that we are not qualified for the European Cup. We are preparing different scenarios to anticipate and manage the workload well to stay fresh on the home game, the reception of Stade Toulousain which will be an ultra-important game. Behind, there will be a week off before the match against Stade Français. We think about it.