MHR: almost empty infirmary, renewed emulation, Jiff late, what a team against Pau this Saturday ?

Marco Tauleigne is one of the players who shook up the hierarchy in the MHR pack. Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

The MHR staff has almost its entire workforce in its possession and faces strong competition for certain positions. At the same time, he must manage the Jiff quota imposed by the LNR to avoid sanctions.

The situation in the Top 14 – last in the general standings – does not encourage such a large turnover as there can be in Challenge. For Montpellier, "it's mission commando" every day of the championship, says Yacouba Camara. The reviews of& ;#39;staff are likely to become very scarce in the coming weeks and the infirmary is almost empty. Places will be more and more expensive in the future.

"We have fewer and fewer injuries, we have more competition, more emulation. The level of training is affected", nevertheless appreciates manager Patrice Collazo, highlighting the work of his medical staff and physical trainers.

Tauleigne, Lam and Doumenc are doing well

Except that several players have taken advantage of their playing time in recent weeks to cause chaos in the heads of the staff when it was time to go to bed a "23" against Pau this Saturday January 27.

Starting with the third line Clément Doumenc and the hybrid Marco Tauleigne. Their performances did not go unnoticed, moreover in well-stocked positions, among Alexandre Bécognée, Lenni Nouchi, Sam Simmonds, Yacouba Camara, Janse Van Rensburg and Florian Verhaeghe.

Also read:Challenge Cup: the MHR will host a club transferred from the Champions Cup during the round of 16… find the complete table

Ben Lam, forgotten for a year, has become one of the fatal weapons of the Hérault attack. The New Zealander imposed himself on his wing, relegating his compatriot George Bridge to the bench, or even to the stands.

Note that these three players are at the end of their contracts next June.

Competition also developed at the center of the Montpellier attack. Jan Serfonteinand Geoffrey Doumayrou hold the rope in the middle of the field. Their experience and their return to a very good level work for them. Thomas Darmon, Hérault's best center for over a year, paid cash for an injury that occurred at the wrong time at the end of December. Concerning Arthur Vincent, the staff should count on him quite a bit on the wing in the coming weeks. Auguste Cadot ? The former Biarrot confirms that he can be more than a rotation player.

The problem of Jiff

When considering team compositions, the number of Jiffs (players from French training) will also be taken into account. With 15.08 Jiffs per match, the MHR is the only club behind. National Rugby League regulations require an average of 16 Jiff per match. If this average is not reached, the club is exposed to a strong sanction: a withdrawal of six points in the general classification the following season.

Enough to make you break into a cold sweat. "Of course we think about it, but you also have to win matches. It’s a bit like a dog biting its tail. In any case, we will have to get closer to it at the end of the year. For now, the most important thing is to put the most competitive team on the field without falling too far behind with the Jiff. We are aware of the problem. We also know that, due to the imbalance in the squad, the World Cup, the injured etc., we are a little behind on this subject. But we will try to get closer to it", assures manager Patrice Collazo. One more knot to untangle this year.

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