Gonzalo Quesada sits quietly among the journalists at the press conference, and listens to his captain Romain Briatte and his opener Joris Segonds while savoring the end of his beer started in the locker room. The Christmas meal aperitif tastes of hops, but above all happiness for the Stade Français coach and his men, victorious on Saturday in a one-sided derby on the ground of Racing 92 (48-10).
A one-sided demonstration for the biggest gap in Top 14 history between the two teams. And if Briatte, reassembled as soon as he entered the lawn and author of the first of his five tries, could not determine whether to speak of a “perfect” or “near-perfect” match, he and his partners washed waters the affront of five derbies lost in a row, including four just last season.
A spring on which the staff had played from the start of the week. “We took fifty here last season before going on to two other big losses in the European Cup against them which had stuck in our throats, says Joris Segonds, whose power at the foot wreaked havoc. We are not world champions either, but we will savor this family victory tonight. »
“We have more and more certainties”
Especially since there is not only the slap, accompanied by the offensive bonus, inflicted on the neighbor to be tasted between the foie gras and the log. Stade Français overtook Racing 92, and completed this first leg in the position of runner-up to Stade Toulouse. Not bad for a team without a real star and which learned at the start of the season that its current manager would kindly step down in June.
“We are very happy to be second at this time of the season, we have more and more certainties, breathes Romain Briatte. Now, we don’t make noise, we stay in our corner because we know where we come from. We continue with two kids receptions (Pau and Castres), you have to keep your feet on the ground. »
“I don’t remember a derby where we played a match of such a level. Now, we are good at the accounting level, still wants to savor Gonzalo Quesada. Afterwards, the gap is very fragile, because we are still quite close to tenth of this Top 14. “But after a month of December with offensive bonuses against La Rochelle and Racing 92, it will start to be difficult to talk about chance for these Parisians.