Toulouse. Noguera: “Rely on what we know how to do best”
Xavier Noguera, the Toulousaines coach, confides in view of this first act, at home, against the Northerners who eliminated Chartres in the previous round.
Xavier, everyone was expecting you to face Chartres in the semi-finals. Finally, it is Aulnoye. A suprise ?
I have been saying since the beginning of the season that whoever manages to predict the results is very clever. We are suspicious of everyone. It was Aulnoye who qualified after making two “perfs” on the outside. It was far from obvious.
On what aspect of the game will this semi-final be played?
We have to rely on what we have been able to do best since the beginning of the year. Prevent them from developing their running game. Stay on a half-court game. Have a fairly solid and airtight defense to recover good balls to develop our game.
Reassuring news from NoƩmie Brochant?
It’s in order. She resumed training on Saturday. Rehabilitation is taking its course. We hope to have the medical green light to put him on the pitch on Wednesday. For the moment, all the lights are green.
In terms of rotations, is his presence important?
Yes, it’s important for us because she can play in several positions. This brings us an additional danger. We hope everyone will be 100% for the game.
Are you going to try to avoid arguing over a belle?
I don’t do all those calculations. I am not thinking for the moment only of the first game. It’s important to take home advantage. We have to try to transform the test each time.
Since the quarter and until Wednesday, you will spend eleven days without playing. What impact on the half?
I think the play-offs are very badly done. In the play-offs, the players want to continue, to do battle every three or four days. We were put in play-offs with holes everywhere. Between the half-way and the half-return we will have to wait ten days. And one more week for the beautiful eventual! It’s very complicated to keep the players invested in training because they want to play. We must make do ! Aulnoye will certainly be a little more on the pace than us. But as soon as the referee throws the ball for the jump ball, the match begins. We are not looking for excuses.