Stade Toulousain has stalled since November 27 last. Fifth in the Top14 standings, the Reds and Blacks have not won a Top 14 match since that date and have four straight defeats in the league.
This Friday evening, with the reception of the Stade Français at the Stadium, perhaps they will be able to reverse the trend? Jean-Marc Arnaud, president of Eight – the largest association of Toulouse supporters – was the guest of 6-9 de France Bleu Occitanie to talk about it.
We have to react urgently, right?
Yes quite. But it’s a game late and we have a second. We will rectify the situation tonight I hope. And it’s at the end of the ball that the musicians are paid. I’m not really worried. We are not used to Toulouse anyway. We, supporters, we must stay in our place. But some are scattered. I tell them to look towards La Rochelle or Clermont: the contribution of the public is important when you are in the hard. You can’t always be in a good phase.
Toulouse fans are too used to “caviar”?
Yes, we are not used to it. It’s true that I see very little of a team, whatever it is, having a full season, thoroughly, from the first day to the last day. At some point, there is a slump and we must not forget that we have two Stade Toulousain playing. We have one playing in Toulouse and another playing in Ireland this weekend, with the XV of France!
Yes, but aren’t we looking for a little excuses by saying that all the time?
It is certain that we have been used since the dawn of time to our internationals leaving for the Six Nations Tournament. And we still have a lack of competition for a month and a half, almost two months moreover. We also have players who are not used to playing together during these duplicates. So, it’s still a lot to overcome but they are professionals. I’m sure Ugo (Mola, the coach, editor’s note) had to find the best arguments to make them whip this weekend.
Because in addition, the team announced for this evening is still very young (with a first for Nelson Epée), so we will have to remobilize them. Are you expecting a start?
Yes of course. But I also expect the worst, it’s double or nothing. But until mid-March, I think it will be very, very, very complicated for Stade Toulousain. The people who are on social networks setting fire to the web, I think that today they have to bite the brakes at least until mid-March, and mid-March and we will do a first balance sheet.
The match is played at the Stadium, can it carry Stade Toulousain?
Yes, me, I think that all the same, the Stadium, it was the click on the European Cups, on the big event matches of the Top 14. It was very often a click. We’ll cross our fingers that it does.
Stade Toulousain-Stade Français is this Friday evening at 9:05 p.m.; an encounter to live in full on France Bleu Occitanie.About 3,000 places were still available out of the 33,000 in the Ramier island enclosure.