“Since the cadets, Toulouse has won everything”: Lenni Nouchi speaks out before the Toulouse-MHR match

Lenni Nouchi se prépare pour affronter le Stade Toulousain. Midi Libre – JEAN MICHEL MART

Le Stade Toulousain accueillera le MHR ce samedi 25 janvier à 14h, dans le cadre de la 15e journée du Top 14. Le troisième ligne du MHR, Lenni Nouchi, a fait part de son ressenti d’avant-match en conférence de presse.

With a week to go before the holidays and before the match against Toulouse this Saturday, how do you approach all this ?

I don't think it's anything special to approach. We're on a good dynamic, we have to try to keep it up. Now, we're going to the biggest club in the Top 14, we're going there to play the best possible match.

You who played with the hopefuls a few years ago, was Toulouse already the team to beat ?

Yes, since I was little, in all categories. Since the cadets, Toulouse has been winning. If we haven't raised our arms often, it's because they are better than us.

The fact that they are the best, is it a motivating factor for the team??

Yes, I think that, inevitably, all teams give themselves this challenge: to compete with the best. As I said, they are the best, but we will do our best.

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Seven consecutive victories, it gives a certain dynamic to the group. Does that change anything? ?

What really changes is in the locker room. On Monday morning, at training, we smile because we know we won the weekend. As for the content of training and the pressure from the coaches, it doesn't change. On the contrary, they are stricter. They see the potential that we can develop.

Playing a match against Toulouse, is it synonymous with pressure??

Toulouse, I think they don't have the pressure to receive us. For us, it's there yes and no, we want to continue to perform well, to be proud of ourselves. However, as I said, we travel to play against the best.

The 80-12 (Toulouse-Leicester score last Sunday), what did you think of it? ?

There wasn't necessarily any interest. Only one team was playing on the field, I find it amazing to manage to put 80 points on a team like Leicester. For them (the Toulousains), it was easy, they were walking around the field.

“I never had the chance to win against them”

With the international players selected for the French team, do you think there is a chance to play ?

I don't think it changes much. I've never played against their first team. However, I've never had the chance to win against them. Of course, not having the internationals changes something, but they still manage to perform.

The last success dates back to February 2021, have you discussed it with the staff ?

Yes, they reminded us. And it's starting to go back up.

The list of 42 players for the French XV was released last week, how did you experience it?? Is there any disappointment??

Of course, I'm a little disappointed. It was a goal for me. Afterwards, I think I have things to improve to hope to be there next time. I'm working on it with the coaches and individually, to try to be the most complete player possible.

Have you been contacted by the Blues staff to let you know? ?

No, I just got a call to let me know that I'd be in the expanded group of 56 players. Then, they informed the people selected, it's normal that I wasn't called.