Before the final against Leinster in the European Rugby Cup, the president of Stade Rochelais confides to franceinfo his impatience and his hopes.
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There are “an impatience to be able to lift the trophy”, reacts on franceinfo Saturday May 28 Vincent Merling, the president of Stade Rochelais before the final against Leinster in the European Rugby Cup. The president of Stade Rochelais wants to be reassuring: “I’m calm, I slept well”with a “positive pressure”, before this meeting at the Vélodrome stadium in Marseille, at 5:45 p.m. this Saturday. The Rochelais are playing their second European final.
Vincent Merling describes the “very great fervor” supporters of his club which is “a large community that brings together all the partners, supporters from different social backgrounds” and who share “a common passion”.
“La Rochelle is a large village where everyone recognizes themselves and the Stade Rochelais is like the Church in the middle of the village!”
Vincent Merlingat franceinfo
Last year, the La Rochelle club failed by losing in the final. But this year, the La Rochelle players are “ready to finally win this first trophy because you have to win to exist”. Leinster is certainly a big part of the competition, ultra favorite, but Vincent Merling recalls that “Last year, we met them in the semi-finals and qualified for the final”.
The president of Stade Rochelais recognizes that winning the Champions Cup “would change everything” for his club. “If we want to change dimension, we must finally win this cup”he explains. “There would be a form of accomplishment of all these years where we have, little by little, built this club.” And he adds: “We want to reward everyone, we want to reward our community.”