Top 14: Montpellier or Perpignan ? ASBH fans choose USAP

This Saturday, September 14, during the match between Perpignan and Montpellier, in Béziers (Raoul-Barrière 4:30 p.m.), a majority of Béziers residents will support USAP.

“All united under the same colors”: this is one of the supporters' favorite adages, often repeated in chorus, before fervently singing… But it takes on even more meaning when those who sing it have, at the base, nothing to unite them.

This Saturday afternoon (4:30 p.m.), it is a stadium that is usually red and blue that will be blood and gold. For good reason, USAP is coming to play at the Raoul-Barrière in Béziers, a so-called “home” match. And, when you know the rivalry between ASBH and the Catalan club, it can make you smile to see the Catalan fury “at home” in Biterre.

We remember the clash between center Lifeimi Mafi and fly-half Thibauld Suchier in 2017, leading to a general brawl at the Stade de la Méditerranée at the time. Or one of the legendary brawls in 2004, during the Top 16 play-offs, again at the Méditerranée. Then, a very young ASBH hooker, Dimitri Szarzewski, went under the jumping block and pushed USAP lifter Colin Gaston into the air. Bernard Goutta responded with a first punch. Behind, there are 45 seconds of phalanx soup between Dimitri Szarzewski, Yannick Nyanga, Alin Petrache, Tariel Ratianidze, Christophe Porcu, Michel Konieck and Grégory Le Corvec.
But on Saturday, all that will be forgotten. Béziers and Catalans will be together, united, behind one and the same opponent: Montpellier. Not that everyone hates the MHR – only some maintain the idea that Montpellier remains the most hated club in France.

"Paillaugue would like to, but he is wrong"

But for most, it's a question of identity. “What stands out for us is that USAP is a club with a public and popular fervor,” confides Julien, a member of the ASBH Rugbiterre supporters' club. And we have more respect for that, whereas in Montpellier there's nothing, there's no sixteenth man.”

Obvious consequence therefore: the people of Béziers will be behind USAP. “We're not going to say that we're going to support Perpignan, but we'll support Montpellier even less”, smiles the Hérault supporter.
And he laughs when he mentions the statement by one of the MHR coaches, Benoit Paillaugue, saying that “it may seem like a neutral match but the Catalans will travel in numbers. We'll see if our friends from Béziers will support us.” Julien bounces back: “He hopes, he would like to, but he is wrong, he must not be aware of everything.”

Identifying with an identity club

The lack of fervor around the MHR is therefore detrimental to him even close to home, in his department. “I have friends in Castres, and I enjoy going to watch the CO play in Montpellier with them, among the Castres supporters”, smiles the red and blue supporter.

The people of Béziers, lovers of rugby in a land of Ovalie, will therefore hope for only one thing, the victory of an identity club with which they identify more. And to whom they also wish the same trajectory as theirs, that is to say to maintain the great momentum of last season.