“We don’t want to have our name attached to the descent”: Lenni Nouchi speaks before the Grenoble-MHR access match

Lenni Nouchi has taken on a new dimension this season. Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

Promoted to captain at just 20 years old, Lenni Nouchi embodies the present and future of the MHR. His freshness and carefree attitude allowed him to survive a difficult season for his club, fighting for its survival in the Top 14 against Grenoble on Sunday June 16.

He is constantly being criticized for his old-timer appearance, but he already acts like one. Lenni Nouchi is 20 years old and he took the keys to the MHR truck that was given to him. With carelessness. And with confidence, too. So much so that it is to him that we turn before the most important match in Montpellier's history… Interview with the man who extended until 2026 despite the controversies encountered by the club.

How do you feel about the morale of the troops?

We've been preparing for this match for three weeks, three weeks since we knew we were going to play this play-off. It was hard to take, we had a lot of pain in the head. But we managed to quickly change. The guys are good, focused. All 40 players in the squad are at 100% for this match.

Toggle, i.e.?

We have our goal in mind: to save the club, the institution. And we all put it in gear to fill it.

In your "misfortune", was it good to have known that you were a roadblocker quite early ?< /p>

In three weeks, you have time to configure yourself, that’s an advantage. Obviously, we would have preferred not to play it. But it was perhaps better to learn it three weeks ago than last weekend. It gave us time to digest, to prepare, to mentalize.

The club has been in the news for several weeks. Is it hard to remain impervious to it??

We have to. There has been a lot written about the club all year, about the players. We, the players, have been criticized a lot. It may have had a bearing on the morale of some guys. But we have created a bubble around us. And now, we are moving forward together. We are all 100% involved and we are all going in the same direction. We will look at what happens elsewhere at the end of the season.

Would you say that on Sunday, the MHR is playing the most important match in its history ?

I don't know. There have been many important matches, like the title match in 2022. But indeed, this one is special. If we lose, we will be the first team to bring Montpellier down. It’s inconceivable. We don’t want to have our name attached to the descent. Afterwards, we weren't good all season. There were circumstances which meant that we were not good.

Like what ?

The players, we are the main ones concerned. We understood our mistakes and we have one match left to try to erase this season which has been very negative for the club and for the players. We need it to get back on track for a good next season.

"I'm losing my hair, I have a big beard and my back already hurts"

This is your first full year as a professional. It was filled with adventures, you are captain… How did you experience it?

For a first year, we can say that it is quite busy (smile). But in the end, she will have made me grow up. Humanly and rugby-wise. This is what I was looking for too. Having responsibilities, being captain, I didn’t expect it. I tried to take on this role as best as possible. I am learning to speak out. I have already said it, I am surrounded by players who have much more aura, experience. I rely on them all the time, they guide me.

Can we say that you have experienced several seasons in one ?

It's clear. People often tell me that I'm 35, it's starting to be real (smile). I'm losing my hair, I have a big beard and I already have back pain (laughs). More seriously, with a season like that, I've taken ten years off rugby. It's going to help me for the future. I'm convinced of it.

We saw you moved, touched, several times during the season. This sport gets to you in the guts?

Emotions, that's also what we're looking for. You have to dig deep inside yourself for the club to survive. And rugby has always been a passion. If rugby isn't going well, it's not going well in my life either. When I let my emotions out after Perpignan last November, it was because I couldn't control myself.

It was a very hard time. We had just had six defeats. But I need to control myself emotionally, to grow up.

That’s why this season made me grow as a rugby player, as a man. Because moments like that, maybe I'll relive them in my career. And it will teach you to better control moments like that.

🔵⚪️ 𝑰𝑳 𝑹𝑬𝑺𝑻𝑬 ⚪️🔵

La jeunesse au service du collectif !
C'est officiel, Lenni Nouchi sera montpelliérain jusqu'en 2026 ! ✍️

Plus d'infos 👉https://t.co/8QDMI9pDQx#TEAMMHR pic.twitter.com/KEeSHbl4Px

— Montpellier Rugby (@MHR_officiel) May 23, 2024

It’we, the players, caused this image

Montpellier's popularity rating is at its lowest. This touches you?

Yes, because I think people have a bad preconception. They think we're a rich people's club with guys who just come to train, take their salary and leave. Whereas this is not the case. There is a real group of friends. There are real people who work hard for the institution.

It's us, the players, who caused this image. By accumulating defeats, coming out with poor performances. Obviously, people find it easier to criticize this club. It’s up to us to restore a good image. Each person who comes to Montpellier, in the end, says that they had a bad image of us and that they were wrong. When you're inside, there are really only good guys.

It pisses me off that people think that. I think that with time, that will change.

Don't you think this goes beyond the field ?

What happens above is none of our business. This is not our responsibility. We, the players, just have to come out with good performances. And if that's the case, the supporters will be with us and not against us. It’s clear.

Roughly, you could have played the access match against Béziers, the club of your debut…

When I was little, my dream was to play on the lawn of Béziers. I would have done it with Montpellier, it wouldn’t have bothered me (smile).

Afterwards, I was for Béziers throughout the competition. If they could have won Pro D2, so much the better. And if we had to play them, I would have played with great pleasure.

“Les Bleus ? I try not to think about it, but it's always nice”

In the columns of L’Éequipe, Fabien Galthié did not leave room for suspense. The 20-year-old third line will be on the tour in Argentina according to the coach of the XV of France. "A boy like Lenni Nouchi will be there very clearly", he said.

"Çalways a pleasure. There, I try not to think about it too much. The access-match is the priority. for the club and for me. Afterwards, when I saw my name, I was very happy. Now I am mainly focusing on the MHR. After the access match, I could try to aim a little higher", confides the captain of the U20 world champions in 2023.

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