Q: What is the feeling after losing the first leg by playing shorthanded for 70 minutes?

A: "We have a lot of hopes for the return match given the face and the volume of play we put up against Ulster this weekend. Even at 14, we sent a lot of play. We able to find a simpler game, but much more effective than in recent months. We are therefore full of hopes, even if it will be difficult there and we leave with a small disadvantage. We are working on what has been positive to continue in this direction and try to undermine them in the same areas of play (...) Playing with 15 would already be easier. cash. I think we could have put them in much more difficulty at 15 and surely won the match."

Q: Is the pressure even greater as the defending champion?

A: "We're going to Ulster with a title to defend, of course, but in the end not much to lose. I don't think we're the favourites. We're going there with a lot of decompression, no complexes. going to play our rugby and have as much fun as possible. I think most of the players had a lot of fun on Saturday despite the defeat. It's been a long time since we've played like that. Whether it's in defense, in attack, in complicated moments... We took pleasure in restarting from the end of the field. We saw that we were doing extraordinary actions. We did not lose our rugby, we know that we always have it We will go there with the same intentions and above all take great pleasure in order not to have any regrets at the end of the match."

Q: You won last year on the lawn of another Irish province, Munster (40-33), at this same stage of the competition.

Is this matter to reassure you?

Toulouse opener Romain Ntamack (ball in hand) against the Irish from Ulster in the European Cup at the Stadium in Toulouse, April 9, 2022 Valentine CHAPUIS AFP / Archives

A: "It will be even harder because we start with a disadvantage. We will play at home, with the public this time. It's a different face, we were in a different form that day. There is no a lot of things that are different from last year, but we're taking it very seriously. We're used to these high-level matches, these knock-out matches. We've been working very hard from the start. of the season and it is precisely to play these matches."

Statements taken at a press conference

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