Direction Brittany with Kevin Courties, the manager of the Rennes Students Club, upstream of a final which can be historic for the Bretons in the event of a victory which would mean a second title in 3 years (Chemin de France of Federal 1 in 2022) and a return to the National. Focus on this Rennes team which after having failed in the 1/2 final last season, intends to reconnect with its destiny.
Rennes vs Niort A meeting to follow live web TV from 2:40 pm this Sunday, May 4 on the #magsport: https://www.youtube.com/live/_D8eI2IPzGg?si=mXMS5lGBFOc2_4jo
We can say that last year, after the semi-final lost against Langon, you and your team had only one thing in mind knowing how to return to the final stages and go to the final to be able to react to the national. Can we say that work is almost done?
Yes, it was really the idea and the project. We are a project club so we knew that it was not going to be the blow of once, the guys quickly evacuated the disappointment of the half and quickly got back to work by really doing all, players, staff, managers, the effort to improve what, for us, had caught last season. For the moment, it smiles at us and we hope to continue putting the right ingredients to finalize the project.
Whatever happens, you have a chance at scraping and a chance in draw with the dam in the event of a defeat?
Indeed, I would say that it remains a double option but we do not approach the match of this weekend in this way, I do not really know how this kind of match must be approached. So we do not focus too much on this and, as we did all the season, we are really very centered match per game and we hope it will be the last (smile).
The hypothesis of glean 2 shields of champions of France in 3 years must also put you in verve and stir because it is something that is not neutral?
Ah yes and even more for a city like ours and a region like Brittany. It is an opportunity that does not exist “culturally” so yes, it is stimulating, there are lots of small factors that stimulate the match of this weekend, to begin obviously with the event itself. We also have the last of our emblematic captain, we want to return to national because it is a nice championship, we want to give a little sense to a generation that arrived on our first year of Federal 1 so they are guys who worked a lot to structure the club sportingly and live this kind of moments since they arrived young. It is one of the factors and we also want to encourage and reward our volunteers and managers who invest hard in an environment that is not always easy because we are still in a commune that is not hyper sport in the process which therefore requires a lot of energy from these actors, leaders and volunteers. So we want to give them pleasure.
In all the spores of the club, whether it is the players, the staff, the followers, the leaders, we feel a certain effervescence that rises within 48 hours of this match?
We are in contrast to what we have been able to live last season, for example, in this sector. We also grew up compared to what we experienced three years ago and I feel a club that is active, impatient, who wants to do things so that people are in the best arrangements, which wants to live events and emotions, which wants to give meaning to the final stages. You know as well as me as when you arrive in this period, everyone puts the habit of light and this year, it’s really, really very active at the club.
On the side of Rennes, we can say that we have the dreamed finish facing Niort. The first two in pools, the two best teams on the regular phase, is this the final that everyone dreamed of?
We are very honored to play Niort in the final. Already, as you say, these are the first two in pools and I think it’s the first edition and we are honored to play a club like Niort. It is a club that is more than giving the means to get there and that has made a very nice qualifying phase so we will be able to have the chance to play in front of this final meeting. It’s great, I hope that with all the actors, we will make a beautiful copy so that the spectators and the people who will watch the broadcasts can see a beautiful rugby match because I think we really have the means to make a nice show.
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Niort and Rennes are also clubs that are alike in the construction of their sports projects and even in their club projects lengthwise and without putting the cart before the oxen?
Yes, I find that there are a lot of similarities between the two clubs but as I already mentioned, however, I think we are late. When we see the infrastructure in Niort, the general structuring of the club, everything they offer in their rugby panel, rugby chair, the female section, the quality of their training, it is a club which is a little ahead of us but I think that we share common values of projects, structuring and taking into account the whole club. I think that, even more in our corner, there is a need to install entities.
A word at the place of the final, this stadium Tonélée de Tours?
We know the stadium a little bit because it is not far from home, that our young people go there, that it remains one of the shortest trips of the season so in terms of final stages, it is still pleasant. It is a beautiful pregnant in a club that has had a great story and which has also been able to train good players, we have a thought for Luc Hoarau, a former player here and who passed through there. We hope that Tluté will succeed even if, today, it is rather a Niort territory compared to us.
What are you doing the most of this Niort team?
Their general quality. It is a team that is very well in place strategically, there are few technical errors, on collisions, we are dealing with very committed players who are physically ready to be able to repeat tasks and contacts. It has a lot of arguments on the air field and it is a team that works well all together, for example, we do not feel a separation between forwards and ¾, we are dealing with a real linked and united collective.
What will be the watchword for this final which can be historic for Rennes?
What I asked guys is to experience things fully, to create full attention, to be well awake on the present moment and to put all the ingredients that need on the present moment, to live thoroughly.
Thank you and we wish you a nice final
Thank you so much.
Interview by Loïc Colombié
Article in partnership with
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