Lyons. Reservist with the XV of France, Baptiste Couilloud “excited to find the land”
Through Simon Galinier
Published on
The Lyonnais Baptiste Couilloud is one of three players in the XV of France who attended the first two days of the 2022 6 Nations Tournament from the stands of the Stade de France, alongside Toulouse’s Dorian Aldegheri and Castrais Gaëtan Barlot, whom he will face on Saturday at Pierre-Fabre.
The international scrum-half of LOU (24 years old; 8 selections) was confined only to a role of reservist with the Blues and therefore overflowing with desire to reconnect with competition with his club, as he named it on the site of the LOU.
Baptiste Couilloud: “I am very happy to return to Lyon”
The last appearance of Baptiste Couilloud in an official match dates back already a month ago. It was the January 15, 2022during the bonus victory of the LOU on the lawn of Perpignan (6-37), on behalf of the 3and Challenge Cup day. It’s starting to get a bit long for the Lyon captain, who returned to the club at the start of the week – since he is not on the list of 21 players protected by the tricolor staff – with ants in the legs and the desire to figure it out:
I am very happy to return to Lyon. Personally, it makes me feel good. I will be able to find the grounds this weekend. I am very excited and I hope that we will put in a good performance. It’s good to find some heads, it breathes a new dynamic into the group and we need it.
“The winter period was well managed, it was important to get out of it”
The eldest of the Couilloud brothers has the chance to rejoin a Rhone group in full swing, since he remains on 9 wins in the last 10 games and has not lost since December 27, 2021, during the Boxing Day match at La Rochelle (25-3).
We expected the winter period to be difficult, due to absences, especially since we already naturally have trouble during the winter, but we were able to manage it well. It’s good, because a period that we had targeted at the start of the season. It was important to come out with victories. Now there is this international period. We’re missing a few guys and a lot of injuries, but it’s coming back little by little and that bodes well for the future.
Indeed, to challenge Castres to Pierre-Fabre, this Saturday February 19 (5 p.m.), the LOU will be deprived of Noa Nakaitaci (knee), Beka Saghinadze (main), William Marchand (main) and Tavite Veredamu (hamstrings), all of which are close to a return. The wingers will also be missing David Niniashvili and Xavier Mignotstill in the infirmary, without forgetting the long-term injured, Mathieu Bastareaudoffered on both knees in December and unavailable until the end of the season).
“It will be a good test of character in Castres, against rough opposition”
“It will be a great challenge for us”, explains Baptiste Couilloud. “I think we need to go for benchmark performances outside. Castres is a rough opposition. Good for us, because we need to face this kind of team. It’s gonna be a good character test this weekend and I can’t wait to be there. »
Finally, note that the proteges of Pierre Mignoni could still count on a return of weight: from the three-quarters international center Pierre Louis Barassi (23 years old; 3 selections), recovered from his ankle injury and recalled by the staff of the XV of France to prepare for the trip to Scotland next week.
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