The Toulouse Rugby Festival was organized on Place du Capitole this Friday, June 10. Between animations and exhibitions, several personalities of the oval were present. Including the president of Stade Toulousain, on the eve of the Top 14 play-off match, against Stade Rochelais. Didier Lacroix responded to France Bleu Occitanie.
Didier Lacroix, this play-off match, everyone is waiting for it, in Toulouse…
We play the European champion. The club we were opposed to in the last two finals. He has been a regular opponent for the past two seasons, moreover in a play-off at home. So it’s obviously a very, very nice poster. A match oh so difficult of course, but on which we hope assert the advantage of the ground and put the necessary ardor of a final phase.
Is Stade Rochelais the favorite this time?
You know, the Castres, for example, are never favorites even though they are first in the championship and they have crushed everyone. But they never feel favorites. No coach wants to be a favourite, so I’m not going to indulge in determining a favorite. What is certain is that La Rochelle is the leading club in Europe.
There are 18,000 lucky people who will be at Ernest-Wallon on Saturday evening. Others will be disappointed not to attend. Was it impossible to play at the Stadium, that match?
The Stadium pitch is being prepared for next season, and the TFC’s return to Ligue 1. In a week, it was perhaps difficult to settle there, because the stadium was not ready as such.
You will have to work. It will be more and more complicated to reconcile the stages of the Stade Toulousain at the Stadium, with the predominance of the resident club (the TFC). Our idea is to strengthen ourselves, even to think about a Stade Toulousain who plays only at the Ernest-Wallon stadium, provided that this stadium evolves.