Three matches and a first tenure in Paris against Stade Français. Despite the defeat, he made a strong impression in the Bayonnais pack, and like the last ten minutes when Aviron Bayonnais held their line before the break against the Parisian assaults, Pierre Huguet was one of the first to scrap. flush to defend the sky and white in-goal. The third line of Bayonne (26 years old, 1.94 m for 111 kg), arrived in the off-season from Carcassonne, was the guest of 100% Rugby. The opportunity to look back on his career, his integration into the locker room and the Bayonne game.
The Stade Français, match of regrets?
We must not rehash this meeting. Anyway, we don’t have time to dwell on it. We had to switch quickly. We have deadlines that are coming quickly, important. Afterwards, we have to keep in mind what happened and use it for the future. Of course, it’s infuriating not to come back with these two draw points at least. We are also a new team. We have a lot of new players who are there. We also discover for the most part a little this championship too. But we have a desire to work and do things well which means that I’m not worried about the future in the sense that we’re all looking in the same direction. That’s why I don’t want to come back to this match in Paris in too negative a way.
The reception of Bordeaux-Bègles
It is clear that it will be a totally different team from the one we were able to play in friendly last month (25-10 win on August 20). Anyway, these preparation matches do not condition the rest. Then, we saw them in a little more difficulty on these first two league matches, in Montpellier (loss 29-19) and against Toulouse (loss 26-25). They were able to rectify the situation against Castres with this victory (33-12). We have been warned, we know that it will be a whole different challenge. Now, we have to, we have to win and that’s all we’re going to try to do on this reception. Each point will be important at the end of the season. Afterwards, at home, we have to win, to win our matches. We do not pretend to say that we will all win, I think, even if that is the stated objective.
Dauger’s Audience
An incredible first. Frankly, an atmosphere like that, there are very few of them in France and there may even be some here, I think. Inevitably, we want to relive that and quickly. We have a public that pushes us a lot. We have that chance. Afterwards, they can be tough when they have to be, and still be happy. But it’s really a 16ᵉ man who pushes us. Being able to play in an atmosphere like that is a chance and you have to know how to savor every moment you can experience in your head in this stadium.
His integration in Bayonne and his signature
As for rugby, we have a great group of guys. We are still quite new. We arrive in a team which has nevertheless experienced a title of champion of France with players who have already experienced a lot of things together, but they are very open and who integrate us very easily. So it’s a pleasure. And for life here, it’s complicated in the Basque Country, but I adapt (laughs). In terms of passions, I normally like everything that is water sports, but with rugby, it’s a bit complicated on the side. So no, we will wait for the post-career, it will be good. But I played in Dax, the southwest is a region that I really appreciate, but I’m not here just to enjoy the region.
I was lucky enough to sign quite early. So that allowed me to turn around. I had already been in contact with Bayonne in the past, it hadn’t happened. So as soon as I had this opportunity, I didn’t know if Bayonne was going to evolve into Pro D2 or into Top 14 at the time. But hey, I made the decision to join a club that had a real project, especially in terms of infrastructure, whether in terms of budget, a club that gave itself the means to do better. I thought it was the right step in my career. It had been four years in Carcassonne, we had ended on a good note for a club like Carcassonne, which had known ten or eleven years in Pro D2 without access to the final stages. And for me, it was time to move on and measure myself against something else.
His route, from Chinon to the banks of the Nive
I come from Touraine, Chinon, for those who know wine. So I did all my rugby school until cadets, moreover, I was trained by a Mauléonnais. Afterwards, I went to Tours in Crabos and afterwards, I had the chance to join Dax, first in the hopes, then at the training center where there were Renaud Dulin and Jérôme Daret at the time. I was able to play my first professional matches there in my last two seasons there. And afterwards, I joined Carcassonne. Besides, they spot me on “the match of death”, which we also lose with Dax against Carcassonne. Following that, I spent four years in Carcassonne.
His view of USC coming to Biarritz this Friday, September 23
They have a good squad. On the last matches, against Béziers (26-24 win) and in Vannes (loss 34-21), it was a bit complicated and again, there were major changes. I am thinking in particular of Tim Agaba who played in the center, when he is “eight” training. It must not have been easy for him. But they can pose problems for many teams. There is a very strong fighting DNA and that is mainly what is coming out of this team this season. It fits perfectly with the state of mind, with what Carcassonne wants to put in place. So I think they can cause a lot of problems.
To listen to the full interview (15 minutes) with Pierre Huguet, it’s HERE.
Journey
- SC Chinese Rugby (2004 – 2012)
- U.S. Tours (2012 – 2014)
- US Dax Rugby Landes (2014 – 2018)
- USA Carcassonne (2018 – 2022)
- Rowing Bayonne (2022 – XX)