Who would have believed it? The Stade Français simply needed a good cleaning… the English way. No more frills. The house is tidy, well ventilated and one would happily hear whistling from one room to another. Paul Gustard, the master of the place, runs his boat with a very British touch, rigorous and relaxed at the same time. His troop follows him, well regrouped, very tight, after a particularly chaotic 2024-2025 season which brought it very close to disaster (12th in the Top 14 and saved from relegation on the last day) and cost the heads of the two Frenchies, Laurent Labit, the rugby director, and Karim Ghezal, the manager, who came to revolutionize his game.
The Pink Soldiers are heading straight today. They even emerge in third place in the championship when they go to face, during this 15th day, the Bordeaux artists, this Saturday (2:30 p.m.) on the banks of the Garonne. A match at the top of the table since UBB, 4th in the ranking, has as many points as the Parisians, and fields most of its internationals. The promise of a shock, finally, in this Top 14 full of dead ends. Because to Girondin talent, Stade Français will oppose its solidity, its temperament, and its determination to never give up.
“A small part of irrational”
“Maybe we have less quality than other very big teams but we don’t give up,” underlines scrum-half Paul Abadie. Our strength is collective, it is the desire to surpass ourselves for the friend next door. It’s one of the groups I had the most fun playing with. There is a small part of the irrational, an extra soul which was not there last year. » It is with this weapon that Stade Français snatched a draw at the last minute against Racing (20-20) on December 20 in the championship, or that it came back 22 points in less than half-time in the Challenge Cup against Exeter to win (27-25) on January 10 and qualify brilliantly. It is also with this combativeness that he believed he had two exploits, only giving in under the siren both in Clermont on November 29 (36-32) and in Bayonne on December 27 (35-34) at the end of one of the most beautiful matches of this Top 14 version 2025-2026.
“We were in a position to win these two matches, which is significant, but we did not do it,” adds Paul Abadie. These errors must not be repeated. We have to stay focused until the end. » “And pay attention to the smallest details,” continues pillar Paul Alo-Emile. The only goal for us is to win in Bordeaux. » A disproportionate ambition? “We must first respect the game and remain humble,” says Perry Freshwater, the forwards coach. In such a tight competition (Stade Français has only 3 points more than Clermont, 8th), away victories are very important but the Bordelais are good everywhere and they go very quickly. We trained very well this week but the truth is it will be Saturday at 2:30 p.m. » Time for accomplishment?
