The postponement of the shock between Colomiers and the USAP for cases of Covid among the Catalans, puts the columérin club on hold a third time since the start of the season. A delicate situation to manage for Julien Sarraute and his staff.
You have just suffered a new match postponement, the second in a row, the third since the start of the season (see opposite), it’s becoming very worrying, isn’t it?
Obviously that worries us. However, we must remain measured in relation to the health situation, the fact of not playing a rugby match is nothing compared to the health crisis that is hitting us. But to come back to the athlete, yes, having three games late after eight days is fraught with consequences. it will become complicated to manage and I dread the periods when we have to be resting where we could play in the end. We are going to tighten up the schedule and that may be difficult to manage.
Thinking of the Christmas truce (1)?
Yes. It is an important time for the players and their families. It is never easy to have to play during this period, to re-mobilize the troops and the preparation for matches as well as the weather conditions are not easy.
Do you also dread having to play twice a week?
Yes, because I have experienced it in the past and playing two matches in a week is very complicated to manage. Especially in terms of the physical integrity of the players.
Your match has been postponed for two weeks in quick succession. How do the players experience these postponements? They must be frustrated, right?
I find the morale of the troops quite good. We have a group that lives well, there is good humor despite the setbacks, there is quality in the work. I find that my players refocus very quickly and play the game fully despite these postponements.
No anxiety?
Of course there is a bit of concern because we cannot manage to chain three matches. So yes, they sometimes have questions and that’s normal. And if it is legitimate that they are sometimes worried in view of the events, they adapt well to the circumstances and I thank them.
And you Julien, what state of mind are you in?
We must continue to look ahead. It is not easy to prepare intensely for a match and in the end, everything falls apart at the last moment. In spite of everything, we have to re-mobilize, refocus on a new goal. For us, it will be the next trip to Carcassonne.
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