Top 14: “We are not going to revolutionize everything”, the Stade Français emergency before La Rochelle

Two days before a crucial match of Top 14 against La Rochelle this Saturday (2:30 p.m.) at the Jean-Bouin stadium, Morgan Parra, the deputy coach of the Stade Français returned to the crisis that shakes the club, last in the championship ranking. This Thursday, at the Camp des Loges, the training center of Parisian players in the Yvelines, the former scrum half mentioned in particular the change within the staff intervened on Monday, two days after the defeat in Toulon (24-6), the 11th in 17 games, and its implications. Laurent Labit, the director of rugby was indeed forced to take a step back and leave the responsibility of the sports field to the general manager Paul Gustard.

How did you experience this change within the staff?

MORGAN PARRA. For me, it’s a little more responsibility (he is in charge of three-quarters and attack game). But we don’t have time to think about all of this. Everything goes very quickly. You have to get back to work as quickly as possible. I still exchange with Laurent (Labit). I learned a lot from him. The fact that he comes out of the field is a big announcement.

We all realized things. We talked about it between us in the staff, the players too, between them. They took responsibility. Maybe we’ve been a little too scattered. We know that we have to create a dynamic now.

What springs are you going to press on?

Our role is to restore confidence. We have to resume the points that did not work. On these last nine games, we will win, we will lose. We try to rely on what we have done well until then. We are not going to revolutionize everything. On the contrary, this could contribute doubt.

Is it a commando operation?

Yes. Given our results and our position in the ranking, we no longer have a choice. But we knew it well before already. The maintenance operation had already started. You have to get out of this situation as quickly as possible. Given the physiognomy of this championship, we know that relegation will be played out on the last day.