With a resumption of joint training this Wednesday at Michelin, the Clermontois could have dreamed of better preparation when it comes to hosting the Stade Toulousain, reigning French and European champion on Saturday evening at the Marcel-Michelin sports park. (9:05 p.m.).
A start to the week disrupted by periods of isolation, which forced the group to develop new methods of teleworking, through a WhatsApp group, in order to immediately switch to the continuation of a rhythmic championship hellish. “We worked on our laptops at the start of the week”, specifies Arthur Iturria, “Us big guys, we worked on the keys by WhatsApp. It’s a new way of working. We received the methods. It was ready when we arrived on Wednesday. Afterwards, we have to stop looking for excuses. . ”
– Matthieu mirville
I was very happy that I didn’t play during Christmas time, I’m not afraid to say it – Arthur Iturria
After two weeks without an official match, given the postponements, the Clermont captain is delighted to have been able to experience the Christmas holidays with his family, but was still impatient to be able to find his teammates, to try to meet the Toulouse challenge. “I was very happy that I didn’t play over Christmas time, I’m not afraid to say it. We all got to enjoy our families. It was a good thing. It could have been done before, But that’s how it is. What is unfortunate, it is this pandemic which still affects us and does not allow us to prepare ourselves properly for at least a full week, but we will make do with it, we are big boys. is our job. “
– Remy Gabalda
We don’t have a choice anyway, so we bow to it and we’re not going to complain – Marvin O’Connor
Once the results of the last Covid tests carried out on Thursday are known, Jono Gibbes will be able to compose his best possible team to meet the challenge of the champions of France and Europe. And if the results are good, the New Zealand coach will not refrain from integrating George Moala and Kotaro Matsushima, unvaccinated players, to his group, in accordance with the new health protocol of the National Rugby League (LNR) developed at the beginning of the week. “It’s a bit of a step backwards with restrictions that you have to comply with”, admits winger Marvin O’Connor. “We don’t have a choice anyway, so we go with it, we just deal with it and we’re not going to complain.”
Even if the health crisis weighs on the daily, Marvin O’Connor does not want to complain. “We still have the chance to play this weekend. Obviously, we have to be a little careful. After that, our life has been rhythmic for two years now, we know what to expect, try to respect barrier gestures, Going out too much and not exposing yourself either. When I see that there are almost 200,000 cases per day in France, everyone is in the same basket. You have to adapt, that’s how it is. ”
Despite the first leg meeting at Ernest-Wallon (27 to 15), the ASM had managed a start to the match with fanfare, managing to shake up a Toulouse team then still undefeated and imperial in its stadium. But since these beautiful promises, Clermont remains in search of his game and the consistency so sought after by Jono Gibbes.
While waiting for the return of the gauges next Monday, the 18,000 Clermont supporters will not be too many to try to overthrow the Toulouse ogre. The shock of the 14th day of the Top 14 between ASM and Stade Toulousain will be followed on France Bleu Pays d’Auvergne from 9 p.m. with Emmanuel Moreau and Julien Oury.