“In a short time, it accelerated”: Lenni Nouchi looks back on his meteoric emergence over the past year

Lenni Nouchi a inscrit trois essais contre Oyonnax, ses premiers avec Montpellier en Top 14. MAXPPP – Carine MONFRAY

Capitaine depuis trois matches avec le MHR – pour trois victoires – et auteur d'un triplé contre Oyonnax (35-39) ce samedi 2 mars, Lenni Nouchi confirme une nouvelle fois les espoirs placés en lui.

You have a series of victories and you leave the last two places. Is that a relief ?

That's three victories in a row. It feels good because we work hard. The players, we never gave up, we worked hand in hand to raise our heads. The first part of the season was very difficult mentally and physically. We were having less and less fun and there is a new energy in this club. It's up to us to continue like this, and it will work itself out.

On November 18, against Perpignan (9th day, eighth consecutive defeat for the MHR), you were on the verge of tears…

I was very sad. It touched me as a competitor. It weighed on us in everyday life. We were able to bounce back individually and collectively to finally smile at the end of the matches and that’s nice.

A Victorious Captain

Three captaincies, three victories, a hat-trick… Not a bad start, right ?

We are on a good stat (laughs). The hat-trick ? I was a little lucky especially, with this fallen ball that I picked up (on the third try).

This afternoon (Saturday), we see the progress made since the first leg, with a super spiral. With the victories, we see that we have a crazy team. We can achieve extraordinary performances like in Racing. We win and it's pleasant. We must continue like this.

Three weeks ago, how did the staff announce the captaincy to you ?

The first was against Racing. The staff took me into the office to talk to me about it. We had won (20-44), and they wanted to renew the same captain. It works for me. With the under-20s (he was captain of the U20 world champions last summer), it wasn't the same. We were the same age, the same experience and we experienced the thing over a month. Here, I am captain of international players, veterans, so it's not the same approach. I especially take the advice of the elders.

That is ?

I try to take this role to heart and bring what I can bring as a young person. I rely on the veterans, Yacou (Camara), Antho Bouthier, who have been and will be captains later in the season. They are very great players, I try to take inspiration from them. I bring what I can bring.

Isn't it too intimidating sometimes ?

Especially during the week, when you have to speak before, during and after training. I sometimes let the elders speak. During the match, I have less pressure to talk to them with the adrenaline. Especially since these are fucking good guys who listen to me. It's nice to see the guys who look at you when you talk and want to move forward with you.

U20 world champion, captain, you went to Marcoussis to lend a hand to the French XV… Everything is going very quickly.

In a short time, things accelerated. I continue to work, to try to put out the best possible performances to have my place at the MHR and try to earn my place up there. This is a goal.  But first I want to continue to raise my head with Montpellier.

“In Béziers, they were beating me up”

Formé &agrav; Béziers, Lenni Nouchi maintains a deep connection with his favorite club. His father, Samuel, a former player for Montepllier and ASBH, is a junior coach there. “I often go to see them outside. Béziers. It's my favorite club, où I grew up. When we were in a bit of difficulty, &agrav; Montpellier, I didn't like going there, they bothered me a lot about a possible roadblock (laughs). I think they will be a little disappointed not to see us thirteenth anymore. But I'm really happy for them."

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