An (almost) impossible mission awaits Stade Français this Saturday (6:30 p.m.) at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin against Leinster. Against one of the big favorites for the Champions Cup and the main supplier of the Irish team, the Parisians no longer have many illusions about their chances of qualifying, having only one point on the clock. after two matches. Their rugby director Laurent Labit makes no secret of it: the last two days will mainly serve to accumulate “experience and maturity” with a view to the French Championship.
“Today, we are not completely eliminated”, wants to believe his assistant Morgan Parra, before changing his mind, realistically: “I am not saying that we are going to play everything to qualify. We will try to recover from what was not against Clermont (14-14 draw). There are too many areas where we have fished. We failed in too many areas: combat, ground play. And at the Aviva, there’s no better place to play rugby. The players will face the best, practically the Irish team. It’s a wonderful experience to play hard.”
For this shock, the Parisian staff will also rotate a lot. “We also have a lot of problems with the sequence of matches,” explains Morgan Parra. We have to try to stay competitive.” Young people will therefore be thrown into the deep end, like fullback Léo Monin (21 years old). A poisoned gift? “It’s a great gift,” he says. Confronting yourself with what is best allows you to learn.”
The young full-back will have a lot to do in Dublin, just like the rest of this experimental three-quarter line, with a pair of new centers, made up of the usual winger Stéphane Ahmed (24 years old) and the hopeful Noah Nene ( 19 years old). The young third row from Massy and member of the French sevens rugby team, Andy Timo, will start on the bench and could make his big debut with the Pink Soldiers. Sacred baptism of fire.
The match sheet
Saturday (6:30 p.m.), in Dublin (Ireland)
Leinster : Keenan – Larmour, Ringrose (cap.), Henshaw, Lowe – (o) Frawley, (m) Gibson-Park – van der Flier, Doris, Baird – Jenkins, McCarthy – Furlong, Sheehan, Porter. Entr. : Cullen.
Remplaçants : Kelleher, Healy, Ala’alatoa, Ryan, Conan, McGrath, Prendergast, O’Brien.
Stade Français: Monin – Dakuwaqa, Ahmed, Nene, Hamdaoui – (o) Henry, (m) Weber – Chapuis, Habel-Kuffner, Hirigoyen (cap.) – van der Mescht, Azagoh – N’Diaye, Peyresblanques, Castets. Enter. : Labit and Ghezal.
Replacements: Meite, Kakovin, Alo-Emile, Tsutskeridze, Timo, Gimbert, Gabrillagues, Segonds.
