After a failed start in the Basque Country, the Nice players will return to their Marcel-Volot stadium this Friday, September 4th. For Gareth Baber’s men, there is no shortage of areas for improvement. Between collective approximations and technical waste, the group has focused this week on correcting these rookie errors to make people forget this initial misstep and reconnect with their fans.
The recent trip to Biarritz, last Thursday left a bitter taste in the ranks of the Azure team. For their reunion with Pro D2, the Nice players quickly felt the demands of high-level rugby. Deprived of ammunition in the lineout, shaken up in the scrum and weighed down by numerous handling errors, the ambitions of the Maralpin side evaporated as the minutes went by. Faced with such technical waste, collective helplessness quickly overshadowed playing intentions, turning this opening day into a particularly severe wake-up call.
A lucid observation shared by flanker Lucas Bachelier: «Beyond the defeat, it’s the content that wasn’t good. When you don’t have your lineout balls, you’re disrupted in the scrum and you lose 20 balls on knock-ons, that doesn’t fly in Pro D2.»
With a squad deeply overhauled this summer with just under twenty new arrivals, patience is required to find automatisms, but the demands of the pitch allow no respite.
A decisive first home match
It is time for a reaction from Gareth Baber’s men. Facing a vengeful Béziers side, after their defeat on the opening day, the players of Nissa Rugby must correct course without delay to unlock their account. A clear imperative for Lucas Bachelier, « it’s the first home match, it’s always important to start well. If we can stay unbeaten, I think that will already be a huge step for our survival. We know it’s going to be very difficult because there are big teams and everyone will come here trying to take as many points as possible. It’s especially a chance to make up for that non-match in Biarritz. »
To achieve that, Nissa Rugby can count on the return of their experienced scrum-half, Guillaume Rouet, determined to set the tone at home. «It’s up to us to mark our territory. We need to send a message to the other clubs saying that it won’t be easy to come and win at Marcel Volot.»
Guillaume Rouet: « the automatisms need to fall into place »
To pull off a win against the Biterrois, the Azure group knows that they will need to raise the bar in commitment and application. The frustration accumulated in the Basque Country must now serve as a driving force to make people forget the imprecisions and show a completely different face from the first whistle. « Collectively, we didn’t manage to implement our game plan, and then individually, when everyone makes their little mistake, ultimately it doesn’t work. Everyone questioned themselves and worked hard this week. We need to keep our ball, be efficient in everything we do », says the flanker.
The key to the match will lie in the Nice players’ ability to regain mastery in set pieces and impose their rhythm. A physical and mental challenge that Guillaume Rouet approaches with determination, « there were a lot of new players this summer, the automatisms need to fall into place. It’s up to us to concentrate twice as hard and avoid these easy errors. We hope to learn as quickly as possible to play together and I hope that by tomorrow, we will have erased everything that went wrong against Biarritz. Good set pieces, good defence, those are the keys if we want to win. »
A clear line of conduct, set by sports director Matthew Clarkin, who is waiting for an immediate collective reaction to launch the club’s season. « The message this week has been crystal clear, if we want to win matches and implement our game plan, we need to get the upper hand on our opponents and most importantly keep the ball better. We have an outpouring of very positive energy and a lot of willpower, but it still lacks a bit of control. » Still, no question of giving in to panic. The executive approaches this second day with assumed pragmatism, « there is no panic on board. The reason why we weren’t able to be competitive was quite clear, and these are things that are fixed very easily. We’re going to sort out the small details and things will go better. »
For this grand return, Marcel Volot is expected to be full. More than 3,000 people are expected this Friday, September 4th at 7:30 p.m.
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