While they now occupy the play-off place at the bottom of the table, the Biterrois have slipped into immense uncertainties following the heavy setback conceded in Vannes. An epilogue coming from afar in a way.
The damage is done, and the situation that the people of Hérault are experiencing today is only the translation of several factors leading the ASBH to great concern. The heavy defeat recorded in Vannes was predictable, and the youth of Béziers have nothing to reproach themselves for in a context where priorities were obviously pushed elsewhere. Faced with the irresistible glutton of the championship, the players on the banks of the Orb were able to measure the gap separating them from a club with a calming and constructive context. Left pillar Yahnis El Maslouhi gave his version: “We weren’t going to be victims for this trip, but we suspected that with the ranking of the two teams, at the end of the match, we would be a barrage. The victory of Nevers doesn’t help anything either. A lot of things have been said about saving the club. Now it’s time for the field, and let’s show that we really want to do it with our means. There are four finals left. to argue, we still have our destiny in our hands, let’s make sure we do what’s necessary.”
Accumulation of faults
Faced with this complex situation, there are multiple reasons. An eventful offseason with the current owners still to be taken over, the ouster of Rory Teague last October which left David Irazoqui at the head of the team with limited resources. Then a deleterious atmosphere, where ultimately each party is almost unaware of each other between governance and sports, while a historic turnover is looming at the ASBH, leading to fragilities in the future for many players. The former member of the UBB clarifies his thoughts: “It’s a combination of quite a few things, the defeat against Angoulême at home in December still haunts us. Our trips where we take few points while in Valence and Oyonnax, for example, we must do much better. These shortcomings which make a season not really peaceful.” Yet solid at the Raoul-Barrière stadium, where the Héraultais brought down some big names during the season like Vannes, Agen, Oyonnax and Brive who bit the dust there, the accounting situation is hardly bright and doubt can set in.
Fear of heights?
Not necessarily prepared for such a scenario, Béziers will nevertheless have to get out of the rut to avoid a possible play-off match to remain against the finalist of the Nationale. The rest promises to be formidable with the receptions of Provence Rugby and Biarritz, for trips to Carcassonne and Soyaux-Angoulême. Next Friday, the arrival of the Aixois will constitute a clear trend on the fate which will be reserved for the Rouge et Bleu. Yahnis El Maslouhi thinks about it: “We demonstrated that when our backs were against the wall, we had this ability to make our rugby better. For now, we are really there, so we will quickly evacuate what we experienced in Vannes, and prepare for the arrival of Aix. The boys who remained in Béziers have already worked on it, and the freshness will be decisive.” A fifteenth place had already arrived at ASBH at the end of a complicated 2011-2012 season for the promotion at the time. Salvation came through the administrative relegation of Bourgoin-Jallieu, but from now on, nothing will be given to the Biterrois.
