ASBH: on the Béziers side, the final phase of Pro D2 is starting to smell good

Hans N’Kinsi estime qu’il ne faut Midi Libre – Michael Esdourrubailh

Les anciens joueurs sont fait une haire d’honneur aux joueurs. Midi Libre – Michael Esdourrubailh

Le Professeur Pujol en vrai supporter de l’ASBH. Midi Libre – Michael Esdourrubailh

More and more supporters, entertainment, support from alumni, players buoyed by their success, champagne rugby… As for ASBH, 2nd in the championship, thanks to its success over Valence-Romans (56-24), we approach the final straight with desire and confidence.

It was in the air. Friday evening, for the arrival of Valence-Romans in Béziers, there floated in the aisles of the Raoul-Barrière stadium a wind of pleasure and oval success, which smelled of qualifications. This atmosphere, a harbinger of sunny tomorrows for the ASBH, is the fruit of a communion, of the alignment of several points:

1. Public support

At the end of last year in particular, managers and players bitterly regretted not rallying enough supporters to their cause. This is no longer the case. With the good results helping, the Béziers public returned to the stadium. Over the months, the number of spectators has skyrocketed. This Friday, for the reception of Valence Romans, there were no less than 7,906 people in the stands. When they arrived in Biarritz, two weeks earlier, there were 8,894 of them. There is no doubt that if they continue to shine, Pierre Caillet's players will see the ranks of their fans grow. This support is in any case, for them, a big boost: "We need that, this sixteenth man, assures Sylvain Charlet, the coach of the Béziers forwards. It carries us. Every weekend, there should be even more of them to support these players who tear themselves away on the field and give themselves without counting." Hans N’Kinsi does not budge: "During home matches, even if only during the warm-up, when we play around the stadium, this audience gives us chills, blows the colossus. Having such supporters can only lead you to transcend yourself, to give your all." On Friday, Professor Henri Pujol, who presented the club with the Mexican hat given to it by Armand Vaquerin in 1983, was one of the Béziers fans who attended Béziers' victory over Valence Romans.

2. The elders are also pushing behind

The club's former players were also present on Friday during the duel with the Drômois. Brought together by Jean-Michel Bagnaud, president of the Béziers alumni, after having lunch together, the French champions of 1974 and 1984 joined the stadium. Enough to share with the supporters and above all make a guard of honor for the players when they enter the field. Among them, we could, among others, see Jean-Louis Martin, Yvan Buonomo, Jean-Paul Banq, Elie Vaquerin, Richard Astre, Jean-Pierre Pesteil, René Seguier, Claude Casamidjana, Diego Minarro, Jean-Paul Wolf , Jean-Michel Bagnaud, Jean-Jacques Lleip, Philippe Vachier, Eric Piazza, Philippe Escande, Albert LLes, Patrick Fort, Michel Fabre, Jean-Paul Médina, Philippe Bonhoure, Claude Martinez, Jean-Marc Cordier, Daniel Cosentino… These players, through their action and their presence, show that they participate in the unity of the ASBH and in the dynamic that has been created around the team at the end of the season.

3. A rugby of movement that pays and pleases

The strength of the Biterrois rests, among other things, on their ability to produce games. Each time they doubt, they put the cursor back on this ability to bring life to life the ball and it pays: "By scoring tries, we gain confidence,assures Raffaele Sorti, the formidable ASBH winger who scored three tries on Friday. We needed it after the defeats in Dax and Rouen." All we have to do now is not to overplay: "We realize that, at times, we need a little more control, less d&rsquo ;panic, does not hide Hans N’Kinsi. In management, we can do better."

4. Interchangeable players

This is one of Béziers' strengths this season and it is major as the final sprint approaches: even when there are changes, the team maintains its level of play. Being able to count on a substantial squad allows rotation within the group, to compensate for injuries and to keep freshness in the ranks: "Each player contributes his/her stone to the building, note, with pride,  Sylvain Charlet. We are counting on everyone. If we are here today, it is because we are a united, united group, with players happy to work for each other. We must keep this."

5. The desire to go all the way

The people of Biter know that they are on the right track. They want to play a qualifying match at home and will do everything to achieve it. On their cloud of success and in the middle of a distance duel with the leader Vannes and Provence rugby with whom they are tied for second, they will not give up: "The human adventure is very beautiful, assures the forward coach. Guys won't experience this every year. You have to surf on it, enjoy it, fight for it and go get it."

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