Nice-Premium: Last group match on Sunday at Beaurepaire in Isère for RNCA.
What is the objective of the Azure XV? Qualification for the Playoffs is still possible. What are the conditions and do you believe in it?
Julien Schramm: The only objective is victory, whether there’s a bonus point or not. We shouldn’t overthink it; we simply need to focus on putting in a strong performance and winning. Then we’ll see what happens. If we end up qualifying for the playoffs, it would be magnificent, a real feat considering our start to the season. However, for that to happen, Romans, who are ahead of us with 31 points, must lose to Bédarrides without a defensive bonus point. Otherwise, it will be the play-downs. But we’d obviously prefer to enter the play-downs with 31 points and a 5th place in the pool, which would allow us to match up against clubs ranked 6th, 7th, and 8th. That would be much more comfortable than a 7th place with 27 or 28 points.
NP: Nice won the first leg 23-16 after a difficult end to the game. What do you remember from that match and what are Beaurepaire’s strengths and weaknesses?
JS: Beaurepaire is in exactly the same situation as us, with 27 points, but with the advantage of playing at home in this match. They are a very solid team, well-organized and compact upfront with a very good scorer, fullback Bonnet. Our profile is quite different as our team is more suited for running and moving around. In the first leg, we had a great first half before letting Beaurepaire come back, eventually leaving with a defensive bonus point. So we expect a very tough fight with physical challenges. We have to be strong mentally and keep pushing. Hopefully, the refereeing will be up to par. We are told that a Pro D2 referee will officiate…
NP: What are your thoughts on the Fédérale 1 format which takes place in two distinct phases and with play-downs that are always very risky, where you might have to travel across the country?
JS: It’s a good quality, very interesting championship. But with 12 clubs relegated out of 48, it puts pressure on teams fighting for survival. Especially if you enter the play-downs with fewer points than other teams, since I remind you that points scored during the first phase are retained. The issue is that the 6 pools in Fédérale 1 aren’t all equally competitive. In some pools, the last team was dropped quickly, allowing some teams to pick up points. In ours, even Rumilly, though last, still put up a good fight (we actually lost there); it was closer. If we had won against the last team, we would have 4 more points now, and it would be a different story.
NP: Returning to Sunday’s match, how has the team prepared, and what’s the mindset? Does it resemble the mindset of a direct elimination playoff game?
JS: There have been quite a few minor injuries over the past two weeks, which didn’t let us optimize our preparation. We planned a camp over last weekend, but Christophe Moni and Manu Boutet decided to cut it short, and the players were only gathered on Saturday. But they worked really hard. Honestly, the team has progressed a lot, and the players are very aware of the stakes at Beaurepaire. They are going there to make an impact, for sure. This match isn’t a final, but it’s an important step in their journey. I hope in a few years, they’ll look back on it as a game that mattered in the club’s history, a game that made an impression. A foundational act. But for that, they need to make it happen.
NP: Apart from long-term injuries, are there any additional absentees?
JS: Béchec and Moxham, injured at Romans three weeks ago, will not be ready for this game. Other than that, despite some minor physical issues for some, there shouldn’t be any further dropouts. A few players couldn’t train as they should have these last two weeks, but their mental strength will be more important than anything in this match.
