Rugby, Under-16 Nationals (Quarter-final): CAP must maintain its consistency

"It's certainly the best match of the season." After the victory against Nantes, Jean Saulière was full of praise for his players. Uniting together in the fight, they achieved a fine victory, earning them a spot in the quarter-finals of the French national cadet championship.

But they had to quickly get back in shape to face their new opponent: the Lavernose-Lacasse-Rieumes team. And that's what they did. "We know Rieumes is a team from the Toulouse region, so a team that knows how to play rugby. We know what to expect," admits coach Jean Saulière.

A complete training

But ultimately, it's a bit of an unknown that looms before the Périgourdins. The coach managed to get a video of the Rieumes team before their round of 16 match, just to prepare, and it's a team that resembles Nantes's, which beat Tournefeuille, but not by much, in the previous round. A team that moves the ball, that's in motion, with heavy players up front and quick players at the back. Enough to give the CAP some ideas. However, Jean Saulière tends to be wary. "This youth championship is quite random. One weekend, there are teams that perform well, and the next weekend, they get knocked out. It's a bit of an up-and-down, and ultimately for us too. It's a reflection of our season. We absolutely have to maintain our consistency," believes the CAP coach.

CAP will have to cope with a few injuries, "but we have the necessary depth of squad with quality players," assures Jean Saulière.