"We are really proud of this team"

What is your feeling after this game?

"In English, there's an expression: "A tie is like kissing your sister." It's never very good. We were determined to get a big game out. On that part, you can't blame the players for anything. The 23 fought for 80 minutes. With 7 minutes to go, being down by 7 points and going for a draw, then an opportunity, at the very end, to seek a victory against Clermont... Hats off! There was a lot of courage to go back up the field, to put the people of Clermont under pressure. Even if it's not the result we would have liked, I think there was a lot of positive things in this game."

How did you experience Gaëtan Germain's last penalty attempt?

"With the staff, all together, we wanted this penalty to pass. Gaëtan is so good in this area. Unfortunately for us, it was played at 3 centimeters. We'll always support Gaëtan and his teammates: he'll put in more, he'll miss out on more. It is a role with heavy responsibilities, which he does very well. Unfortunately, tonight, we are three centimetres short of a big achievement against Clermont. I would also like to pay tribute to Gaëtan's performance: he probably played his best game in the overall game, in his moves, in attack and in defense. For me, except the penalty shoot-out, he made a very big game."

From the outside, we had the feeling that you didn't always agree with the players' strategic choices, especially in terms of the penalty to be tried, or not.

"At the beginning of the week, all the information is put into a funnel, which the players have to assimilate for D-Day, when they are the actors. We are not in a fight zone. We have our ideas. Sometimes players don't feel it. The leaders are in the field for that. They have made their choices. We take responsibility with them. When we meet after the holidays, we'll debrief it together. And, perhaps, they had a very good reason for making these choices. It is our way of working, participatory. But it is really the players who are the actors of the game. We all take their choices with them."

Two players hurt you very badly on the Clermont side: Raka and Yato. There was nothing you could do to stop them?

"They are very good players. We knew that before the game. Toulon, La Rochelle, Racing: Raka and Yato have hurt all these defences. We prepared this game by trying to find solutions to counter them. Unfortunately, there have been 3 individual actions where we have not been able to do so, that the collective has not been able to make up for an individual error. We knew before, that it can turn into an action. There is no notion of impotence at all, because I think there are also 23 Clermont residents who will be in great pain tonight. I saw 23 Grenoble residents who sent each other for 80 minutes to get this game. There were strong individuals on the other side, which allowed them to draw with us."

Even if you were twice down by 6 or 7 points, your team never gave up.

"We just have to give our players our hats off. It is also where we see the progress that has been made. In the Pro D2 final last season, after the first scrum, we lowered our heads, it was difficult. There, our team went all the way to the end of the game. Two years ago, with a Pro D2 team, I also saw this kind of game where you end up taking 40 at home. This team doesn't give up. There are still two thirds of the championship left to keep this state of mind, which will bring us to our goal."

Are you particularly proud of the last few minutes, where do you go from 20-27 to the win penalty?

"The whole game makes me proud. The 80 minutes make me proud. For 80 minutes, I had 23 Grenoble residents who hurt the people of Clermont-Ferrand as much as the opposite. Some of their experienced players congratulated us for this last action, to go for the draw and then victory. We have a real pride for this group, but not only on this last action, for this whole block of 9 games. We thanked everyone in the dressing room after the game for their investment. And that you have to make the most of the holidays, so that you end up with a second wind for the second block of the championship."

What is your assessment after this first third of the championship?

"I think our speech with Stéphane has not changed. It is very encouraging that the group is still living well, that they are fighting together, that they are working together. This assessment is really encouraging. With these players, if we don't start to disperse into little peripheral things... There are quite a few players at the end of the contract, who are contacted by other clubs... If we start not falling into this, with this state of mind, it's very encouraging to go all the way to achieving our goal, which is to maintain. In this first block, we, the staff, have learned a lot, just like our team. We are clearly progressing and that is positive."

Are you worried that these discussions will affect your team's performance?

"These are young players who have a lot of solicitations, from everywhere... The number of times I hear "Top 6". Players are sought by these Top 6 clubs, which have resources, where it shines. It is true that it is a great recognition for the work of the players, their progress, the work we have done at the Club to train them. It is the law of the market, unfortunately. We have our strengths, there are lots of great projects here. We would like our players to know that we work every day for their well-being, so that they can progress. That will remain the leitmotif of our staff: to move this group and these young players forward. And that, I think that if there is an awareness among all these players, if we stay together for 1 or 2 years, we can really become an incredible team, which will change. Will the professional world allow us to follow through on this dream? We'll see about that. If it shines brighter elsewhere, players have their choices to make."