MHR – UBB: “We must not get carried away”, and if Montpellier aimed for a more ambitious objective for its end of season ?

Janse Van Rensburg et les Montpelliérains peuvent se donner le droit de rêver en cas de victoire contre Bordeaux-Bègles ce samedi. Midi Libre – JEAN MICHEL MART

The MHR welcomes Union Bordeaux-Bègles this Saturday March 9, a match counting for the 18th day of Top 14. Montpellier is aiming for a fourth consecutive victory.

What if, on Sunday morning, the season took an unexpected turn ? What if the people of Montpellier went on vacation next week with, in their sights, a spring sunnier than expected ? The eternal call to humility will always curb the spirits a little too cheerful by the current dynamic (six victories in eight matches), will barricade the tongues which envisage a goal which was still impossible a month ago.

The ranking of the Top 14

So saying that the MHR is a contender for the top 6 seems a bit premature. Perhaps even inappropriate. But actually, the Hérault club is only seven points from qualification. This Saturday against Bordeaux-Bègles, he can get a little closer. Moreover, the entire group, except Oyonnax, can go and tickle the big gears of the championship on the occasion of an exciting 18th day. Almost every team at the bottom of the table hosts this weekend, favoring a possible rapprochement.

"If you want to have several options, you have to go through Bordeaux"

The cyclist metaphor also appeals to Patrice Collazo, the Montpellier manager. "We looked at the guys' bibs for a long time. They had escaped far ahead. We caught up with one or two", he imagines. A remarkable comeback, marked by executives returning to their best level and relevant workforce management. Be careful, however, not to be caught up by the patrol at the end of the season on the number of Jiff (players from French training). 

The figure: 15

The Montpellier staff has lined up. a team with 15 Jiff on the match sheet, one less than the average required by the French Rugby Federation. After this match against Bordeaux-B&egles, the MHR will be 7 Jiff behind. As a reminder, if a club does not respect the average of 16 jiff per match over the entire season, it risks a withdrawal of at least six points for the following financial year. 

As for the players, what do we think of this renewed energy and a possible more exciting end to the season ? &amp ;quot;We are further from 6th than 13th place. We will first move away from this bottom of the rankings to live a little more comfortably. We are determined to maintain it and then we will see what happens. Yes, we had 3-4 positive matches. But you shouldn't get carried away. In this game, you can lose everything. Especially since next to us, they also win", warns fullback Anthony Bouthier.

No fire, then. Even if, without pretension, a victory against UBB can change everything. "If you want to have several options and not limit yourself, you have to go through Bordeaux", insists Collazo.

Bordeaux without its three-quarter length XXL

Bordeaux-Bègles, let’s talk about it. The Gironde club has not been sparkling in recent weeks. In the absence of his internationals for a month and a half, he has lost four of his last six matches, including two at home. This weekend, he is traveling again without his XXL three-quarter length. Maxime Lucu, Matthieu Jalibert (knee), Damian Penaud, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Yoram Moefana and the new phenomenon Nicolas Depoortère are retained with the Blues, toning down the flamboyant play at the start of winter.

Also read: MHR: all of the tries scored by Montpellier against Oyonnax were scored by players trained at the club

"These teams, without their internationals, are even more dangerous. Bordeaux went to win in Toulon (32-37). Places are expensive, at all levels", judge Collazo. So expensive that on Saturday evening, depending on the result, the MHR can look down… or up.

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