He did not have the face of great days but it was with his head held high that the Racing 92 manager analyzed the third defeat of his men in a European final.
What is your feeling after this new lost final?
LAURENT TRAVERS. My feeling is of course a big disappointment for all the players and staff, for the partners and especially for our president who had done everything necessary to put us in the best possible conditions. And a big disappointment of course compared to the physiognomy of the match. We start with a handicap of 14 points, we are led by 9 points at half-time.
Exeter played as he did against Toulouse, it was no surprise …
We knew very well that as soon as they got within 22 meters – and we worked on it all week – it was a very dangerous team. I think we were the team that put her the most in danger of the whole season, which almost deprived her of the title. But I said “bankrupt”, because we didn’t get there.
What do you attribute your defeat to?
We were rough about the start of the match. We give them the opportunity to score when we can put them in difficulty and we expose ourselves. But what’s important is that the team has never broken up. And we are really proud of this team because, despite the difficulties and everything that may have happened, the players have shown values of sharing, solidarity, mutual aid, but also rugby values, because being able to score four testing to this team, I think it’s not easy. The only thing is that there is only one winner and that we will only keep in mind this winner and, there, it’s Exeter and not Racing.
Individual errors weighed heavily …
It’s easy to do the analysis afterwards, but what is certain is that there are choices that have been made and, when choices are made, solidarity takes precedence. It can happen that we miss a pass, a game with the foot. What is important is the next action. We have shown that we can be champions. If we had won, there was nothing to say. There was a winner, it is not the good one, we would have preferred that it be in our camp, but it is out of the question to say: “It is the fault of such and such. “
Article original de: www.leparisien.fr