ASBH: in Aurillac, Béziers shot himself in the foot all alone

Les Biterrois seront à Grenoble le week-end prochain. MAXPPP – Jérémie FULLERINGER

Due to a lack of commitment against an Aurillac team in their hands, the Biterrois who were beaten (27-7) certainly spoiled their victory in a semi-final played at home.

On the Aurillac side, Friday evening, the sky over ASBH remained desperately gray. The only ray of sunshine of the evening came from winger Raffaele Storti who broke the record for the number of tries scored in a season in Pro D2. By diving into the goal for the 21st time, in 18 matches, and by scoring the only Béziers try of the game, the Portuguese international briefly illuminated the debates between Béziers and the Cantalou clan. Because for the rest, it wasn't really that famous…

"Like everyone else, I am very disappointed"

Faced with a team within their reach, Pierre Caillet's players did as in Dax and Rouen: lacking commitment against opponents who, for their part, had pulled out the hatchet in terms of aggressiveness, they fell by the wayside on the Cantalian meadow (27-7). As a result, Béziers certainly jeopardized its chances of finishing among the first two and therefore of playing in a semi-final directly, without having to go through a play-off. Especially since Vannes and Provence Rugby won this weekend: "Like everyone, I am very disappointed, don't hide the fly half Charly Malié. In content and engagement, we haven’t been there. We had the weapons to compete but we didn't have the ingredients to do so…"

"If we believe that by playing ball, it will happen, we are wrong"

Having shown that they are capable of moving mountains, it is obvious that the problem of the Biterrois is mental: " It’s certainly unconscious, recognizes Charly Malié. But when we move to someone less well ranked than us, there is a certain relaxation. We are not losing this match on rugby, but on commitment. When we face this type of opponent like Aurillac, we know that we will be welcomed, that the guys opposite will be hungry. And if we believe that by playing ball, this will happen, we are wrong."

"Playing a semi-final in Aix-en-Provence doesn't scare me"

The half opening of the ASBH does not disarm. He announces that his team will get back on track: "We really want to offer a final phase match at home, he assures. A semi-final at Raoul-Barrière would, of course, have been magnificent. But even if it’s a roadblock, there will be a very nice party. We will therefore find the solution and do everything to offer this celebration to these red and blue people who are growing behind us. It's not because we play a play-off that we won't go to the semi-final. And if we play it in Aix-en-Provence, that doesn't scare me!"

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