Paris (AFP)
The Lou and UBB share more than their invincibility: sitting in two cities, Lyon and Bordeaux-Bègles are the two rising values of the Top 14 for several years. Finally ready to win?
. Lyon richer
A gap separates them. The Lou, with two semi-finals of Top 14 in two years, has a budget of EUR 31.5 million. "We are at the top of the ranking, recognizes its president Yann Roubert, but we must count our investments in the stadium (de Gerland, reconfigured rugby enclosure, ed)."
Still, "for the first time", Lyon "began to look at the ceiling (salary, ed) not to exceed it," he admits.
Bordeaux-Bègles has a portfolio nearly 25% lower. Its budget of EUR 24.68 million is located in the soft underbelly of Top 14 (8th) and the club is still seeking a major sponsor to take a new step.
The final move to the Chaban-Delmas stadium in 2015, allowed him to change his size (the best influx of Europe two seasons in a row) and to prevent President Laurent Marti from continuing to systematically pot.
"Without Chaban, we would have disappeared," he says.
. Staff saved by the World Cup
In addition to his luxury joker Mathieu Bastareaud, Lyon until the end of December, the leader can count on the fangs of his captain Felix Lambey.
Evicted at the last moment of the list for Japan, the second line made an early return with his team. One of the "least affected by the World Cup" for the right pillar Francisco Gomez-Kodela.
Apart from Pierre-Louis Barassi, called two weeks ago to replace Wesley Fofana, and Joshua Tuisova, selected with Fiji, nobody is missing. If it is the rookie Demba Bamba, recovering after his crime with the Blues.
Bordeaux-Bègles, he must do without five globalists.
The child of the club Baptiste Serin gone, the UBB targeted its recruitment on experienced players (Scott Higginbotham, Rémi Lamérat, Alexander Flanquart, Santiago Cordero, Ben Botica) as well as on the half of Biarritz Maxime Lucu, which was perfectly adapted to the Top 14.
Before his injury in Montpellier, Matthieu Jalibert flew over the beginning of the season (a test scored per match, best director), in tune with an explosive three-quarter line.
. Two motor trainers
With Pierre Mignoni, the Lou is a reference technician, approached by Jacques Brunel to join the staff of the XV of France early 2018 but has declined.
This builder, Bernard Laporte's deputy in Toulon from 2011 to 2015 - with three European Cups and a Brennus Shield - has accompanied the progress of the club of stabilization in the elite until its two half finals.
"After a first three-year term, successful, which validated our confidence, we decided to continue the adventure until 2023," rejoices Yann Roubert, who is banking on stability.
Unlike the UBB in recent years ... But after two very complicated seasons at the management level, between the separation with Raphael Ibanez, the departure in selection of Jacques Brunel, the divorce with Rory Teague and the interim Joe Worsley Bordeaux-Bègles has attracted one of the best French managers, Christophe Urios, champion with Castres in 2018.
Its objective: to finally qualify the UBB for the final stages which refuse to it since its accession in 2011. For the moment, the transplant seems to take.
. Dreamed party
A fairy tale for Bordeaux-Bègles! Five games, four wins and a draw, the best start to the season in his history, what more? Comfortable in the counter-attack, Urib failed to have a convincing conquest, so all the defenses were bent until then.
The Lou is even better with five wins in as many matches, including prestigious victories against Toulouse, Toulon and Racing 92.
"We are rather favored by the World Cup, temper the center Thibaut Regard We take the points to be taken, after which we will have to prove in the second half of the season that we are still present."
© 2019 AFP