The half-scrum and opening half at USAP Mattéo Rodor has just signed his first pro contract with the Catalan club. He thus extended his career with the blood and gold for another three years. Questioned by France Bleu Roussillon, the rugby player reconsiders this decision before returning to the competition on Saturday, November 27 against Clermont.
France Bleu Roussillon: Was it obvious to you to stay three more years at USAP?
Mattéo Rodor: The choice was rather easy to make yes, I always wanted to continue my career at USAP. There’s plenty of reason, it’s the only club in France I’ve played for. I have all my family and my friends, it’s really for this club that I want to play. With the USAP, it has always gone very well. We have always been in the same direction so it happened quite quickly. They entered into negotiations quite early in the year. I was very happy because it shows the confidence they had in me despite the injury last year.
Exactly, how do you feel now? What do you feel like you’ve regained all of your abilities?
The abilities, I think I have found them. What I miss a little is the rhythm, to connect the matches, I hope that for the rest of the season, I will be able to connect the meetings.
Usap is second to last, tied with BOPB. However, there are great victories as against La Rochelle (22-13). What do you need to climb the rankings?
Of course we would like a better start to the season. Now after ten games the results are still there, tied with Biarritz. I think of the season we spent two years ago, we took a long time to win the first game. Everyone is happy to be in the race after ten games, so now we will try to let go a little more in this championship and to earn as many points as possible.
Afterwards, I think that we especially lack a little confidence in ourselves. That’s why this result against La Rochelle at home is doing us good. The bonus point in Racing also does us good, it shows us that we can exist against the big teams in this championship. And now, we have to let go a little more, and we will manage to do this kind of performance again and win against other teams.
With a three-year contract, you necessarily have collective and personal goals, don’t you?
After me, I signed up no matter what to stay at USAP for three years. But the goal, of course, is to stay in the Top 14 at the end of this season and stay there especially for the years to come. That the USAP remains in its place in TOP 14.