There is a saying in rugby. “No scrum, no win”. In other words, without a strong and conquering melee, there is no victory. Often this saying is defeated by the strategies of coaches. Nevertheless, this weekend at the Stadium, this saying delivered its truth, as the Bordelais proved.
It all happened in the 47th minute. “In melee, I found that we were strong, dominant” tells Christophe Urios, the manager of UBB. “I think that in the first half, we were on 50-50 in terms of scrums won “ underlined at the end of the match the left pillar Brivist Simon-Pierre Chauvac. It is then that Urios destroys his trump card: his bench. He brought in Ben Tameifuna (148 kg at the last score), Lekso Kaulashvili and Joseph Dweba. The whole weighs 376 kg. “I felt that by coaching early, it could change the game. These are the players who carry the ball, and that’s what we lacked in the first half“Christophe Urios analyzes.
Wounded will leave the infirmary
The destabilization is massive. “Their first line is very strong” says Jeremy Davidson, the Brivist coach, “and we had injuries: our hooker Motu Matu but also the young Wesley Tapueluelu who suffered from cervical pain”. It was then that he chose to return the incumbent to this position, Simon-Pierre Chauvac. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do anything. “It is played out in the details, it is not a problem of individualities “ underlines the pure Brivist. “When facing, we have experienced and heavy players, it is up to us to do everything to counter them.”
In scrum, the chance of the Brivists is to have two Challenge Cup matches, where the club has no ambitions, to bring back injured players. This should be the case for Hayden Thompson-Stringer and Sooty Fa’aaso, but also young performing right pillar Luka Japaridze. These three men should bring more power to the Briviste pack.