RC Narbonnais: Rouen, turning or torment
This Friday evening (7:30 p.m.), Racing Club Narbonnais (16th) welcomes Rouen Normandy (15th) for a meeting that looks like a cleaver match. Defeat forbidden for the RCN.
“We are clearly on a play-off match.” Sébastien Logerot is clear, this Friday evening’s match (7:30 p.m.) against Rouen Normandy no longer looks like a classic championship match. At the foot of the wall ten points behind fourteenth place, Racing Club Narbonnais no longer really have the right to make mistakes if they want to keep a chance of staying in Pro D2. “The big final sprint is launched. This weekend, it’s imperative victoryannounces Flavien Nouhaillaguet, the captain who is making his return to the substitutes’ bench. Discipline will be paramount. We will have to play at 15 throughout the match. Discipline, good defense, a winning scrum, and we won’t be far from the result.”
Rouen have won only one of their last nine matches
This result is mandatory. Because this Friday evening, Racing is playing big. With a victory against Rouen, Coupled with a loss without bonus of Bourg-en-Bresse at home against Agen, Narbonne could come back to six points of the exit of the red zone. Otherwise, it would be over. “We are entering our championship, that of maintainingrecalls Logerot. We know it’s going to be a special match, with a lot of pressure. It’s going to be a tough game. We will have to be very serious in our approach. I think the players are aware of that. On a desire to relive the joy of a victory at home. And we know that, behind, we can trigger an interesting dynamic. There is no room for error, clearly. It’s a high stakes game.”
Reassured after their success against Provence Rugby (34-33), the Narbonnais have rediscovered the taste of a victory at home and now know what it is. Opposite, Rouen arrives in Narbonne having won only one of its last nine games, and that was during its last trip to Grenoble (14-15), on January 28. Otherwise, during its outings far from Normandy, the RNR collects an average of 30 points. But affected by the death of their opener and friend Jordan Michallet, the Rouennais have tightened up to try to get their maintenance in Pro D2, they who were however well engaged at the start of the championship. 8 moreand in November, Rouen Normandy has literally collapsed since, even entering the red zone for the first time three weeks ago. The proof, during the second day, Racing had fallen very heavily (57-16) against a much superior team. “It’s a solid team, which is strong on its bases. It’s going to be a big, big fight”assures Nouhaillaguet.
The Narbonnais do not have their destiny in hand, but they have the ability to afford a breathtaking end to the season. For that, you have to win. Simply.