Key player of the Bordeaux-Bègles system, the 32-year-old international scrum has changed dimension in recent months. Like his latest Six Nations tournament where he shone in the absence of Antoine Dupont.
Not easy to live in the shadow of the best player in the world. It is the lot of all French melee half. And in particular of Maxime Lucu, the number 9 of Bordeaux-Bègles opposed this Sunday in Toulouse, private, of his star player, in the semi-finals of the Champions Cup. A match where he will be an essential pawn of the device of his manager Yannick Bru. Because Maxime Lucu continues the good performances: rough in defense, effective in his game at the foot and just in his orientation of the game to launch the flashes of his three-star three-quarter line.
In the columns of South Westthe Girondin manager did not hide the importance of his melee half, whether on and off the field. “It is a pillar of the functioning of the team, it is clear. But we work hard to develop leadership around him. When I see what happened in Pau (Success 22-26, editor’s note), Other players have divided the responsibilities. The UBB has more guards and shepherds around Max Lucu but it is sure that he is the chief shepherd “he highlighted. A great revenge for the player who started at the Basque club in Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, like Charles Ollivon, and who discovered the Top 14 until 2019, at 27, after leaving the Olympic Biarritz.
It is often said that I am like good wine, I improve a little more with age
Maxime Luca
Last season was particularly tough for the Bordeaux scrum half. During the tournament, he had lost his number 2 place at the melee, in favor of Nolann Le Garrec. And, with the UBB, he had chained the disillusions, notably missing the transformation of the win during the completely crazy quarter of Champions Cup against the Harlequins. While he had made a huge match before. Cruel…
Previously, during the six nations 2024, he recognized that he experienced complicated moments. “I could have let go, that’s for sure, but my character is not like that. My tournament last year was difficult to live because I was disappointed with my performances at first and because of all the media craze that there was around me, he told AFP at the start of the year. My place was questioned and it was thanks to the club that I was able to return and show that my level was always there, that it was a bad passage. ”
Maxime Lucu has indeed been able to bounce back quickly, going back to the front, after a frustrating season which ended with a humiliation in the final of the Top 14 against Toulouse (59-3). At 32, he constantly continues to raise his level of play, to progress, to mount decisive. Like his monumental end of the match during the quarter -final torn against the Munster, while his team was more than dangerously. First there was this monstrous tackle on Thaakir Abrahams, then this pressurized clearance which allowed his family to blow and, finally, this decisive pass for Louis Bielle-Biarrey. A masterful performance.
I have the impression that he is starting to be recognized internationally when it is enough to look at what he does in the league to measure all his talent
-Christophe Laussucq, UBB defense coach
Christophe Laussucq, former scrum half now a coach of the Gironde defense, was not praised. “”He is an exceptional player, he has a huge season with us. I will not present it, but it has been excellent for several seasons. And, finally, I have the impression that he is starting to be recognized internationally when it is enough to look at what he does in the league to measure all his talent, supported the technician with Olympic Midi . He’s a full player. At the foot, I don’t see who is better than him worldwide. He is one of our best defenders, he is good on animation. What can you blame him for Max about the matches he does with us? Me nothing at all. “
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The interested party recently confirmed that he “Feel very well physically, better at 32 years old than when I arrived in Bordeaux at 27 years old. It is often said that I am like good wine, I improve a little more with age. I have a lot of fun in the game we have implemented with the staff for two years, with a team that is made for that too. ” And underline that he has improved “In the offensive game” : “I take a little more initiatives with the ball, especially on my support races to finish a blow, which do Antoine Dupont Aaron Smith, Baptiste Couilloud or Cool Every weekend. I did not necessarily do them well before or I did not necessarily analyze them well. I try to do it as much as possible because we have x factors behind who are impressive. ”
I’m happy for Max because he had a difficult tournament last year, we didn’t give him a gift
Fabien Garthié
Above all, the gaze on Maxime Lucu changed to the general public after his leading performance during the brilliant success of the XV of France during the last tournament, after the serious injury of Antoine Dupont. The pressure was maximum for the private blues of the best player in the world and, after the entrance to its lining to the Aviva Stadium, there was no more rear available with the choice to align a bench in 7-1. But Bordeaux has delivered a remarkable service. “He made a huge match in an extremely hostile context, had praised Fabien Garthié. I’m happy for Max because he had a difficult tournament last year, we didn’t give him a gift. ”
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Six nations: “He makes us proud”, the touching portrait of Maxime Lucu, told by his brother Ximun
With his atypical journey and slow maturation, the Basque knows that “The high level is an eternal beginning. I do not focus on what happened in previous years, I do not play to answer that. But for me and to show that I am at the level ”. And add: “Every weekend, I have to be efficient. You have to go get things as I always did, don’t put the hand brake or wait for it to be done. My performances with Bordeaux may push the selectors to ask questions too. ” At the UBB, the question of its leadership does not even arise.
