Lyon (AFP)

Irresistible Top 14 with 8 successes in 9 days, but stalled in the European Cup: Lyon receives the Leinster, cador of the continental shelf, to try to end this paradox Saturday (16:15) in Gerland.

"I do not know if we are still the student but the Leinster remains the master, without a doubt," admits Lyon opener Jonathan Wisniewski who calls however "not to make complex".

"We want to do it right and we went out frustrated at our match in Northampton on Saturday, where we had moved with ambition," he said.

Unfortunately, it did not work for the LOU who lost on the pitch of the English club (25-14), his seventh defeat in as many games in the big European competition.

Because last season, the learning had been painful for the first participation of the Lyon team at this level: Cardiff Blues, Saracens and Glasgow Warriors had inflicted some severe corrections to the men of Pierre Mignoni. Hence this observation: if Lyon is gaining power at the national level, it is not yet on the continental scene.

In the European Challenge, which they have never played thoroughly since the 2011-2012 season and their first appearance in the Top 14, the Lyonnais have never left the hens.

- Quadruple European Champion -

"We are close to victory and far in these very high level matches too, at some point you have to score, do not let go to get the extra stuff," concedes Wisniewski, who is, of course, a joy to face the Leinster, quadruple champion of Europe (2009, 2011, 2012, 2018).

The "Boys in Blue" Irish, one of the most successful clubs in world rugby, Lyon has never faced, were still finalists, unhappy last season, against the Saracens (20-10).

"It's great to receive this team, we want to create the feat against the best in Europe.We want to show a different image than the one displayed Saturday, disturb them, make them doubt until the end to offer a historic success to our club, "says Wisniewski.

For coach Pierre Mignoni, facing the Leinster is "at once never simple and exciting".

"Since I played the Leinster with Toulon, our opponent has evolved but did not revolutionize his game," he said.

"It's a very efficient team, who offers a schematic game and who knows how to be in the adaptation with his master to play Jonathan Sexton.It is not for nothing that she won four titles of European champion" , described Mignoni.

"We have not won in the competition yet, we have pride and envy, but it's the highest level, you can believe it but you're not there. colder in the hot times and to show us effective ", analyzes the trainer of the LOU considering that the margin of progress of his group" is there there ".

"It is normal to be criticized because we do not win in this competition but we work hard and it will pay a day," says the former scrum half. Maybe from Saturday?

XV of departure

Lyon: T. Arnold - X. Mignot, Regard, Ngatai, Nakaitaci - (o) Wisniewski, (m) Couilloud (cap) - Gill, Fearns, Puricelli - Roodt, Bruni - Bamba, Ivaldi, Chiocci

Leinster: R. Kearney - Larmour, Ringrose, Henshaw, Lowe - (o) Sexton (cap.), (M) L. McGrath - Van der Flier, Deegan, Ruddock - Ja. Ryan, Fardy - Furlong, Kelleher, C.Healy

replacements

Lyon: Maurouard, Thatch, Gomez Kodela, E. Oosthuizen, Goujon, J. Pélissié, Buttin, Wulf

Leinster: Tracy, E. Byrne, Porter, Toner, J. Murphy, Gibson Park, R. Byrne, D. Kearney

Referee: Luke Pearce (ENG)

© 2019 AFP