Pro D2: Despite the convictions for domestic violence of two of their teammates, Béziers players stay the course

Le manager Pierre Caillet et Sylvain Charlet, l'entraîneur des avants protègent leur groupe de l'extra sportif. Midi Libre – Michael Esdourrubailh

Béziers travels to Mont-de-Marsan, this Friday, December 20 (7:30 p.m.) in a very particular context. Two players, Taleta Tupuola, a starter in Landes and Hans Nkinsi, absent from the match sheet, have been convicted of domestic violence. The group announces that it will not be disturbed by the sports extract and will be focused on its match against Montois.

For several weeks, the legal storm has been raging in Béziers. At the beginning of November, center Taleta Tupuola and last Monday, second row Hans Nkinsi, were convicted of domestic violence. Their trials propelled their club to the forefront of the media scene, to the ranks of miscellaneous facts. It is true that at a time when several rugby players are being singled out for their excesses, even their crimes (two former Grenoble rugby players have just been sentenced to 14 years in prison for gang rape, Editor's note), it was obvious that these cases were not going to go unnoticed. Even Pierre Caillet, the club manager, was highlighted. He is accused of having tried to minimize the facts during the assault on Taleta Tupuola's wife. A false controversy, assures Raphaël Balland, the prosecutor of the Republic of Béziers.

A return to the discussed meadows

The fact that the three-quarter center was reinstated in the group did not fail to make a few more waves. As for Hans Nkinsi, before appearing before the Béziers court, he had resumed training. Since he appealed his conviction, a suspensive legal process in this specific case, it is his return to the field in competition that is currently at the center of all the debates. The players and staff voted for it. The leaders have not yet made a decision. They should do so by the end of the week.
It is in this context that the players have prepared their trip this Friday, December 20 to Mont-de-Marsan. Despite this, they announce that they are staying the course. When we talk to him about the solidarity that reigns in his group, Sylvain Charlet responds immediately: “This solidarity must remain a weapon, assures the coach of the Béziers forwards. We have a close-knit team that lives very well together. We don’t talk about the sidelines, we are focused on rugby. The only goal we have is the sporting one. We do sport and we don’t worry about the extra sporting ones. Our only goal is Mont-de-Marsan.”

“We have to be greedy”

This duel in the Landes is not going to be easy. Especially since on the Montois pitch, Béziers has not raised its arms to the sky since 2008. An eternity that says a lot about the Landais' ability to keep their impregnable fortress. But at the end of the year, the Béziers team would like to see themselves finally breaking the Indian sign: “They are a very good team, warns Sylvain Charlet. The more the days go by, the more they progress. If we want to stay in the leading group it is important to go and get a result there. The players know what to expect. They go there with a conquering mindset. By winning, we would stay glued to the leading duo. We have to be greedy and go and get points.”

Appetite comes with eating.

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