France Bleu Gironde: A week between the two meetings, is that enough to get into final phase mode?
Louis Picamoles: We already switched at the end of the match because the advantage of having all the matches at the same time, we knew from the final whistle what awaited us. We quickly digested the match and inevitably the disappointment of the performance against Perpignan to switch and be focused on what awaits us on Sunday with the reception of Racing.
You accompanied the team to Perpignan on the return bus. Was it a frustrated, annoyed, angry group, determined to bounce back quickly?
Yes, angry, because it’s not the performance we wanted to do. Angry, because, indeed, we would have liked to reach this semi-final after the hard work we have provided throughout the season. But we are all aware that on Sunday’s match and what we showed in Perpignan, it is clear that we did not deserve to be in this top two. So you have to go through the roadblock box. We quickly digested this defeat, this anger and this frustration to switch with great enthusiasm. Because it’s a home finals game in front of our home crowd. So we want to prepare well for this match, to have a good week to achieve the best possible performance and continue to dream bigger.
What has the Union been missing for some time in terms of collective strength, connection between the players, what do you no longer have?
We haven’t lost things. Afterwards, it’s true that we have trouble consistently reproducing good performances. We are reacting a bit at the moment, that is to say that after poor performances, we have this ability to react but it is difficult to confirm it behind. So inevitably, it does not garner confidence but a little frustration. But, we have confidence, we know that we are capable of much better than what we showed on Sunday. Now, to say it is fine, but it’s better to do it. So what are we going to focus on this week? Coming together, believing in ourselves, because I believe that we have shown this season that we are capable of doing great things and trying to have maximum confidence to receive a big Racing team which will come and get this half -final so it’s going to be a big fight on Sunday and we’re going to prepare for it this week to be present on Sunday.
Can the fear of elimination help the Union to be more focused, more applied, more precise?
So fear, I don’t think it will help us, but surely being aware of it. But taking advantage of preparing for a match like that, these are always exceptional matches to play, to prepare for. So, OK, we had a bad match in Perpignan, OK, we missed out on a possible direct semi-final. Now it is something that is done. We can’t go back on it. So the truth is that we are playing a play-off at home on Sunday against a great Racing team, in front of our public, our families. So we have to try to see the good side of the thing and prepare for this match accordingly. To have a good time and get this semi-final, we didn’t deserve it on Sunday. The objective is to make the best match possible to deserve it with this barrage.
Racing has experience of this type of meeting, to compensate for this difference in maturity with the young Union, will it take more enthusiasm, more aggressiveness?
It’s going to take a lot in a knockout game to win, no matter who the opponent is. That said, we receive a Racing team which has experience with it, whether in the Top14 or the European Cup each year, it is a team which plays the final stages and which is experienced in this kind of event and what it involves in terms of preparation. We, it’s sure that on this side, we are a young team, it’s only been the second year that we have qualified for the final stages but we experienced it last season, so we know how to prepare for this kind events and prepare them well. Afterwards, it is sure that it will take a lot to overthrow this Racing team. But we’re going to work this week to give ourselves the weapons and every chance to continue the adventure, being well aware that it’s going to be a huge fight and that it’s going to be a tough match, but at the same time, we’re working all season. to live these matches and these moments. So now that we are there, we have to give ourselves every chance to be as efficient as possible and to see what it can give.
For the play-off last year, we were still in the Covid period with 5,000 spectators. Sunday the stadium will probably be almost full, is this an element that will count?
Of course it matters. The smallest detail counts in this kind of match. So I’m mainly talking about the technical and tactical details on the pitch. But it is sure that our public will count enormously. He’s been there all season, he’s been exceptional all season, even when we went through the slightly complicated period with this series of defeats at home, he always responded. So we know he will be present on Sunday who will push hard behind us and we want to make them proud and give them back everything they have given us this season. We want to make the people of Bordeaux happy, to offer them this semi-final. And we know what we will have to go through this week and Sunday on the match to try to achieve this. So we know they will be there. We will need them and I have no doubt that there will be a warm and beautiful atmosphere on Sunday in Chaban to give them a good time.
Is there a chance to see you on the pitch next Sunday?
I resumed collective training today, we worked very well with all the technical staff to give me every chance of being able to push back the lawns before the end of my career. I resumed training today, the feelings are very good so we will move forward like this in the week and of course I hope to apply for the match on Sunday and try to do my best to help the team to overcome the cape of the dams. So I’m very happy to be able to find my friends and to be able to contribute my stone to the building to prepare for this match and I’ll be even happier if it’s on the pitch.
I imagine that you looked at the table of the final stages and that the adversary of the semi-finals, it is Montpellier, club where you played almost 10 years.
Yes of course. After the stages, you have to take them one after the other, especially in the final stages. Not project too much because it’s never very good. It’s so big what happens on Sunday that each day has enough trouble. We are going to prepare well for this jump-off and we will have time to prepare the sequel if there is to be a sequel. But we have things to do, things to show before going to challenge Montpellier.