"We have to raise our level of play"

How did you prepare this trip to Aurillac?

"Always the same way: as seriously as possible. We know we're going to have a tough game tomorrow night against a team from Aurillac that we had a hard time beating last season, which is always difficult to handle at home. We put a lot of effort into it. Not a lot of intensity, because we had little time to prepare. But, in any case, we prepared seriously."

What do you expect from your players?

"Seriousness, for a start. Just like we did against Nevers. And then, that we take a little initiative. That we take the game on our own. And especially that we don't suffer the event. What all the coaches are waiting for, that is to say that we be enterprising, that we play a quality match today."

Are you waiting for more than just Nevers?

"Then more, it was difficult. Once again, we had a difficult match against Nevers. It's a team that is well positioned defensively, that is strong, that is difficult to manoeuvre anyway. We will have a little bit of the same type of opponent tomorrow. Simply, we will try to control the ball a little more, to hold the ball a little more, to put our game in place. If we can, hold the sequences to hope to finally score some tries."

A running-in period is inevitably necessary at the beginning of the season?

"Obviously, after two months of complete stoppage. The preparation matches were a little shortened, since one of them was cancelled. Indeed, it's a preparation for a season that is a little strange. In any case, we were not disappointed by the commitment and the seriousness of the boys. Now, it is necessary that we find marks and that we raise our level of play a little."

You have not necessarily made a big rotation in your group, compared to the Nevers game.

"As I said before, we chose to play three friendly games. We only played two. So we had playing times that were reduced. At a certain point, it's difficult for boys who haven't played any friendly games at all, or very few, to play a championship game with the intensity we are asking for today. There is continuity. There are still some changes taking place. It will no doubt be the same for Montauban. We are also trying to preserve our group. To make everyone play. To keep everyone under pressure. Because we know that the season is long and that we will need everyone. We have to find the right balance. Today, it seems to us that keeping some continuity was important."