New defeat of Union Bordeaux Bègles and with 18 points difference one of the heaviest defeats for a long time. Should we worry today about the rest of the UBB season which, with 7 defeats in the last 8 games, is in a very delicate phase?
The number of injured players has halted the Bordeaux machine
Despite a substantial workforce since 44 pro players and hopeful players have appeared or qualified as pros this season according to our colleagues at allrugby.com and a priori of quality, the Union has therefore been experiencing a very difficult phase since January. This is the lot of all seasons for former coach Mounir Brini
It’s part of a season, it’s a hollow because there are executive players injured at the same time: Jalibert, Seuteni, Moefana, Buros, behind that is still 75% of the team and therefore suddenly , afterwards, it is difficult to find solutions. And there, the solutions, they were very limited: Trinh-Duc was limited, Lamerat was complicated. If we put everything end to end, it’s part of a season where there are injuries and in addition to managerial players, high-performance players, players who can create danger on any ball. And today, we don’t have those players. So suddenly, it’s a bit critical and a bit difficult, but it remains once again the lot of all seasons – Mounir Brini
How can so many injuries be explained?
Before going to Clermont in March, the Union faced the absence of internationals and a cascade of injuries. The infirmary then welcomed Jalibert, Cazeaux, Marais, Petti, Kitwanga, Gimbert, Uberti, Seuteni, Ducuing, Buros, Jolmes! And inevitably, that raises questions, particularly with Philippe Barbe of the Gironde departmental rugby committee.
When there is an accumulation of wounded, one can ask questions about the causes. I’ll put it down to chance. Afterwards, we play with players at the end of their career, we integrate hopefuls, some of whom are very satisfactory, if we play Gatien Massé with Yoram Moefana we may get something different from what we have seen recently – Philippe Barbe
The quality of the young players did not restore the balance
Certainly this period gave the opportunity to many young hopefuls to rub shoulders with the Top14. But despite their quality, it is the balance of the team that has been undermined during this period complicated by too many absences. UBB is unbalanced according to Mounir Brini
The return of Pierre Bochaton in a match which is difficult. She’s sparkling, she’s interesting. It is true that afterwards, it is in the team balance that it becomes complicated and in particular on the back line where La Rochelle expressed itself in a remarkable way. But it is true that there were free corridors a little too easily for the Rochelais – Mounir Brini
We will therefore have to find our balance very quickly not only to avoid another defeat against Stade Rochelais and above all to prepare for the last 4 days and to avoid seeing the pursuers come back too close or even worse, to overtake us.