Rugby, Federal 2 (round of 16 first leg): A double derby for Bergerac

There are two schools of thought regarding home-and-away matches in the final phase. Those who believe that you have to manage in the first leg, especially if it's away, and give your all at home in the return leg. And those, like Renaud Delmas, the Bergerac back-to-back coach, who believe, on the contrary, that there's no question about it: "Hosting in the return leg is perhaps a small advantage," he admits. "That said, we shouldn't start calculating. We'll see at the end of the match the points difference and, based on that, what we'll have to do in the return leg."

“Weapons to compete”

In the second leg of the round of 16 last Sunday at Gaston-Simounet, his men put in a solid performance to eliminate Béarn's Aramits. Beaten by five points in the first leg, the Bergerac team put in the right performance in terms of commitment, defensive solidity, and offensive realism. This, incidentally, worries the management a little. "When you play a successful match like that, there's always a little let-up afterwards," says Renaud Delmas. "Especially when there was pressure beforehand. It's human."

Furthermore, the Béarnais, while not brilliant, were rather difficult to play against. In other words, the match left its mark on the Ubistes' bodies. "We were waiting to see what happens this Friday," explains the coach. "But there will be some uncertainties." And Casteljaloux will present a different face than Aramits. "I think they move the ball more," estimates Renaud Delmas. "They'll cause us more problems. Their game is more open." A good test for a Bergerac defense that was in form last Sunday. "We have the weapons to compete," judges the coach. The first element of response will be Sunday evening.