A little effort before a well-deserved vacation. After a month of February on the hats of wheels, Brive must now pass the second to try to put in default one of the most solid teams of Top 14. This Saturday (5 p.m.), the CAB moves to La Rochelle at the Marcel stadium -Deflandre.
A trip with a little more serenity. Because Brive did the job by winning two games (Clermont and Toulon) and failing, despite a successful match, to get the two points. But be careful not to relax, warns the coach of the Arnaud Méla touch. _”_I noticed that we were better when we had pressure than when we didn’t. the coach underlines gravely. “So we should get a little out of it because it could turn into a laughable match” underlines the former second line. The laughable match is the one against Racing 92, where Brive took 50 points. “I have the impression that we had not given everything” over there estimates Arnaud Méla, who warns: Saturday, it will be necessary “give 100%”.
La Rochelle, formidable team at home
La Rochelle may be seventh in the standings, the team is certainly less dominating than last season, it remains impressive. “They are struggling away from home losing in Pau and Biarritz, but if we take all their performances at home, they have won everything except against Montpellier” believes Mathieu Voisin. The captain therefore speaks of a “big challenge, in a sold-out stadium most of the time. They are sure of their strengths” explains the third line. As for Brive, if he has to do fewer calculations this week, watch out for the trap. “If we don’t win our duels, if we are not disciplined, we will give them easy balls” underlines Mathieu Voisin.
Returning players, Dylan Lam’s first tenure
The three home games of the CAB have certainly helped to garner confidence. But the price of this commitment is injuries to Matu, Japaridze or even Jurand and Hervé. Consequently, Tedo Abzhandadze will be the opener, Dylan Lam will have his first start and Axel Muller will be the back of this match, since Jérémy Davidson still trusts the Galletier-Tuicuvu center duo. “In reality, not much has changed” said winger Wesley Douglas, who will play his first game since early February. “Tedo is coming back, but at the same time he’s been there for a long time” in the team emphasizes English. For Mathieu Voisin, who has also not played since the Racing match, “we have the slab because we missed three good home games, we were close but far”. The third line nevertheless adds that collective performance will be more to be scrutinized than individual performance. It will be necessary against Will Skelton, Dany Priso, Pierre Bourgarit and Brice Dulin…