Reactions after MHR – Pau: “With crumbs we have to make a baguette”, “maintaining it will be a big battle”…

Forletta and Chalureau allowed the MHR to win against Pau. Midi Libre – JEAN MICHEL MART

Staff and players from the MHR and the Section Paloise presented themselves at a press conference this Saturday, January 27 after the success of the Montpellier team (22-17) during the 13th day of Top 14.

Arthur Vincent (MHR wingman): "The victory is there, that was the most important thing. In the match we still have a lot of room for improvement, particularly in the opposing 22 meters. In terms of state of mind, it’s an important victory. This is what we will remember. The entrants have done a huge job. It’s the mindset of an entire group that allows us to win. To keep up, you have to be impeccable at this level. We didn't doubt it but it didn't come down to much, it came down to details but we didn't give up. We want to continue to move forward, we are progressing, but we don't give up. is not yet out of this last place. It's going to be a big battle. We know that it will happen by grabbing as many points as possible to get out of the red zone. We still have a lot of work to do, we're going to give it our all."

Patrice Collazo (MHR manager):"The important thing was to win. The first test weighed us down a bit, when we leave control of the tempo to Pau it's difficult but we were disciplined. The positive point is the contribution of the bench which very quickly changed the appearance of the match. But when we see that we enter the goal four times without scoring, we know that with crumbs, we must make a stick, when we see all the points left in road. It’s annoying not to be able to take the offensive bonus. We are close to the point. I wanted us to leave this last place, for the players, for the work they do. It’s night and day compared to what we experienced two months ago. We create things, we play complete rugby but we have to understand that in the return phase everything will count. We know that we have no margin, a mistake, a guy who forgets himself, we pay for him. The second attempt we take is lunar with these rebounds… but we don't do three-cushion shots."

Enzo Forletta (MHR pillar):« It's hard, when you end up in the goal four times without scoring, it makes you doubt, you're a little nervous about the end of the match. It can quickly turn against us. At the end, they almost have the ball to get the victory, and we are scared. We were a little passive in the first half, Pau came and had a good match, they were present from the start and made us doubt with this try. We immediately took this clap of thunder which turned our heads upside down when everyone was ready for a big first period but it put a damper on our confidence. The slightest blow puts us back in doubt. We can't be peaceful at home. When I watch the matches on Canal, the home teams manage to take shelter, not us, even when we were champions… "

"The bonus, a consolation"

Émilien Gailleton (center of Pau): "We are happy to bring back this point, it is a very big team which is playing for its survival. Very powerful, very dense. We managed to keep the score. Not completely satisfied with the content but with this defensive bonus point. We are often late behind the guys in defense, we lacked a little energy but we managed to defend well on our line or we prevented them from scoring. We could have taken a suitcase but we came back with a point. It’s one of the first times we’ve taken a point. When you see the first half we had a lot of the ball but we didn't put them in trouble and they recovered the balls while we were exhausted. We could have played more at their place, we perhaps held the ball too much. But once again we lack energy, we can't win like that. We are satisfied to have taken this point. »

Sébastien Piqueronnies (Pau manager): "It’is a consolation not a consolation satisfaction but it’s a point that will count. But proud to belong to a section that does not return empty-handed. We often had the habit of coming home with 0 points. At the end of the match, I am satisfied to take a point. We were often close to our line, we managed to prevent the score from getting worse. This point is deserved. It would not have been logical to win this meeting given the appearance. I found Montpellier, very dense, very powerful. Somehow, I am satisfied that in this difficult environment we come home with a point. We didn't give up, we were resilient in the second half."