Paris (AFP)

How to recover from a final lost in October, at the start of the season?

"The important thing is to quickly play rugby again", answer Racing 92 and Toulon, beaten in the final of the two European Cups and who find themselves in the Top 14 without transition.

Five days after the European Cup final lost on the wire (31-27) against the English of Exeter, there remains "disappointment, even more, frustration", admitted Thursday at a press conference, Laurent Travers, head trainer of Racing 92.

His players do not hide it, the hangover is severe at Plessis-Robinson.

"It would not necessarily be honest to say that we have completely forgotten the defeat, because it is not possible," admits winger Louis Dupichot.

"It's a pill that will take a long time to pass for some players," adds third line Baptiste Chouzenoux.

In this unusual schedule, a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic which led to the postponement of the European finals until the fall, "the advantage we have is to play again very quickly", positive Chouzenoux.

In fact, not having all summer to rehash defeat is potentially a good thing ...

"It's like when you fall from your horse, you have to quickly get back on the horse", confirms Laurent Travers for whom "the important thing is to quickly play rugby again".

And not just any match: the Ile-de-France derby, on Saturday at the Stade Français (6.15 p.m.).

Racing has little time to recover: between Covid-19 contamination and the European campaign, it has so far played only three Top 14 matches, against 4 or 5 for most of its competitors.

And as the final was the priority, they did not put all their strength into the battle on October 10 against Toulouse, who came to win 30-24 at the Arena.

- "The season starts this weekend" -

So much so that the Ile-de-France coach assures him: until now, for Racing, "it was the 2019/2020 season. Now we will switch to the 2020/2021 season".

The words are the same in Toulon, beaten on Friday by Bristol (32-19) in the final of the European Challenge.

"The 2020-21 season continues, and it even begins this weekend," hammered the Var manager, Patrice Collazo, on Wednesday at a press conference, while Toulon receives Castres at the opening of this 6th day, Friday at 8.45 p.m.

"Obviously, we always want to win the big matches (...) but we must forget this final", insists the South African Eben Etzebeth, second row of Toulon.

Not so easy, if we listen to scrum half Baptiste Serin, who left in the meantime for Marcoussis and for whom the match "will remain engraved in our heads".

Insomnia or not, the message of the management has passed.

"We quickly understood that we had to switch," even assures the Toulon pillar Sébastien Taofifénua.

It's only the start of the season and we have other goals ".

Because the particularity of these lost finals is their place in the calendar, which offers a new chance in the European Cup during the same season, in addition to the Top 14.

"We had the opportunity to make a final which validated our good last season. But whether we win or lose, this final was only a stage", tempers Collazo.

Speeches joined in part by Franck Azéma, coach of Clermont, another accustomed to setbacks in the European Cup final (2013, 2015, 2017).

"It's always very rewarding to play in the finals in terms of feeling", retains the Catalan.

"When you lose, it's always the opportunity to question yourself, as we were able to do after our defeat in the quarter-finals", precisely against Racing, he positively told the press on Thursday.

Since its European elimination, Clermont remains on two Top 14 victories.

© 2020 AFP