Old demons that resurface at the time of crucial matches. No success without a good scorer, Stade Rochelais knows it when challenging the ogre Leinster, Saturday (5:45 p.m.) at the Stade Vélodrome, in the Champions Cup final. Last year during the two finals disputed and lost against Toulouse, Ihaia West had failed in his role as scorer. “We weren’t good under pressure, neither was I. We must not be stressed in our heads, but live in the moment. Both times, the team had not played its game,” he admitted this week.
Failures that had plagued his team. A very small 50% (5/10) on the two capital matches… In the Champions Cup, he had missed three kicks (8 points). And, in Top 14, two attempts had been missed, but he had also delivered a disappointing match in the game. But he assures that these disappointments do not weigh him down when playing a third final in two years. “Last year was our first final. We were a little nervous, he says. We have another great opportunity this year. We have to play our game. Last year, we didn’t play in the two finals.
Problem, the New Zealand opener – who will join RC Toulon next season – has also had days without this season in the Top 14. At the beginning of January in Castres, the native of Havelock North was torn, missing two kicks decisive – in particular the winning penalty in his strings – and his team finally lost on the wire against CO (31-30) after leading 3-24 after 20 minutes.
But his manager Ronan O’Gara refused to overwhelm him: “It’s sport, it’s like that. I will never criticize one of my players. He works hard and mostly in the shadows. I will support him a little more this week. What I do know is that we should have killed the encounter long before and not have to wait until the last second. In the Top 14, we are lucky to be able to react next week, that’s what we will try to do.
There, in case of another failure, there will be no second chance. Especially since all the points will be expensive against the armada from Dublin, an impressive machine that swept Toulouse in the semi-finals. “Leinster are playing very well, they have a very big squad with a lot of guys playing for Ireland. We know it’s going to be tough. But every final is always a tough game. But we know that we have to play a lot more than in the semi-final against Racing, ”he insists.
During this semi-final, precisely, West had still experienced several failures. With a weak 1/4 facing the poles. The Kiwi is aware of this, he does not hide it: “It was not a good match for me. One out of four is no good. But we won, that’s the most important thing. We have a chance to do better this Saturday.” In front of him, will stand Jonathan Sexton, stainless at almost 37 years old, always as precise against the poles and sharp in the perfectly oiled game of the Leinstermen.
A duel that hardly scares Ihaia West: “Penalties are like a match within a match. It’s different from the game. We know that Johnny is a great player, we know what he has done for Leinster and Ireland. You will have to put pressure on him. If we give him time to play, with the ball or on foot, it will be hard for us. The La Rochelle opener appeared relaxed before this shock at the top. “You have to take advantage of this moment, live it to the fullest. It’s going to be cool, it’s in France, hopefully with a full stadium. It will be a special day for the club and for all of us.”
Ronan O’Gara did everything to play down the event, to ensure that his troops did not lose their means at the worst time. “Ronan knows what happened in the two finals last year when we weren’t there mentally. He gives us a lot of confidence. We have nothing to lose against Leinster.” And to conclude: “In every final, there is pressure and stress. After all, it’s all about how you respond to it. Even if he denies it, West knows he is expected.
