Maxime Lucu reflects on ‘devastating’ injury to South African star as he reveals secret to side’s ‘growth’

Maxime Lucu sat down after Sunday’s quarter-final victory over Leicester Tigers at Stade Chaban-Delmas with the measured confidence of a man who knows exactly what his team are capable of and what awaits them next week.

“A lot of pride, a lot of pleasure,” he began. “To find this stadium again on a Sunday, after midday, in full sunshine with the atmosphere that goes with it, honestly, a lot of pleasure and a lot of pride to continue the adventure and spend one more week in it.”

The opening exchanges had not been straightforward. Leicester arrived third in the PREM and on a strong run, and Lucu acknowledged that UBB took time to find their rhythm.

“We had a little difficulty in the first 10 minutes getting into the match. I think we also felt a little pressure coming into the competition when you play on Sunday last, with the results in. You have a lot of impatience. So we had a bit of difficulty at the start, but after we got things in order and built the match, above all with our forwards who made us go forward, that allowed us to deploy a bit of play and find situations that let us take the score. And once you have the score it becomes a little easier.”

He was emphatic that the preparation had been serious, adding: “We had prepared very carefully for this Leicester side, because they were third in the Premiership and on a fine run. We wanted to build this match with real purpose, notably by making our forwards go forward and trying to find openings out wide. The first half showed that clearly.”

“We have grown”

The maturity UBB showed drew on hard lessons from previous European campaigns. Lucu referenced a chastening defeat in Clermont two years ago as a reference point that the squad had deliberately revisited.

“Knockout rugby, particularly in the European Cup, teaches you a great deal. We had strongly associated this match with the Clermont game two years ago, where we had gone somewhat off the rails and lacked a little seriousness and humility,” he said.

“This time we wanted to be serious. If we have grown, it is partly because of that. You have to use the knockout rounds you have experienced in previous years to try to be a little better each weekend. Today we were. Now the road is still long and we have a very big challenge next weekend.”

The 18 minutes that broke Leicester were treated with great humility by the French nine.

“Tigers are a team that is very strong on the man, who rush up very hard, so we had decided to try to play the one-on-one duels against them. When we managed to get the shoulders out, we had opportunities to play in behind that. Against teams like that, you have to play in behind them and try to find the gain line. We managed it at times. Some acrobatic passes, but the intentions were good and it smiled on us,” Lucu said.

“When the team is playing like that and we have taken the score, we had quite a bit of confidence in ourselves. We tried things that worked at times and others a little less so. But when it worked, we could see players converging in support, arriving to win the gain line. When you are playing behind the gain line, it is much simpler, especially against a defence that rushes. In those eighteen minutes we managed to make the break.”

Toulouse’s challenge is nothing new, given the two clubs played each other in both the EPCR semi and the Top 14 final last season, and Lucu did not shy away from the question.

“They are beyond description, as I say. When you look at the record they have and ours alongside it, I think the picture is pretty clear. You can talk about whether we are favourites or not, but we do not know anything. You can also talk about the fact that we are at home, which is an advantage for many.

“But against Toulouse, whether at home or in Toulouse, it is always difficult. When you see the armada that is going to arrive, as I say, we are going to have to play a near-perfect match, because against them the slightest error will be costly.”

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He drew explicitly on last season’s meetings for perspective.

“There is always, when Toulouse are in the draw, a sense that you know very well, I think they have 30 titles to their name. Last year, it must be said, we had played a rather good match on that front and we had been serious. We never know.

“In the final, we went to win and try to bring back the first trophy, and we did not manage it. So now it is about targeting certain aspects against Toulouse, getting past the fact that it is Toulouse, and working to prepare this match. Because we want to confront teams like that and show that we have progressed.”

On Chaban itself, he noted: “It is very good that we are playing here, because this stadium is magnificent and it also brings this knockout-stage celebration. We saw it today. The passion around the stadium, even during the match, can only be beautiful next week. This week is going to be breathless for all the supporters.”

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“These are injuries that are not easy to accept”

There was a shadow over the dressing room as an injury to one of UBB’s key impact players, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, drew genuine sorrow.

“We have a thought for him, because these are injuries that are not easy to accept. It is an end to the season. It is really annoying for players like that, who work hard and who are important to us in the group, particularly the impact he has when he comes on. What is just a little devastating is that it happened on his very first action. We have a thought for him, and the others injured, because we would have wanted them all here with us to prepare this week.”

Lucu also spoke warmly about Salesi Rayasi, who has made the full-back position his own following injury to the first choice.

“As you say, he is a little unpredictable. He is also very powerful, so in a one-on-one against him, when you throw yourself in, he can, like all Fijians, get out of the tackle and free his arms, or as he did on the try, simply explode through it. He brings a lot of uncertainty.

“He is a winger by formation, and since the injury, he has been playing full-back, which also gives us that long left-footed kick. He has to find the automatic responses, a bit like Damian at thirteen. But the fact is that in a duel, one-on-one, he is not easy to stop. Like virtually every Fijian you encounter in the championship or in Europe. Today he played another great match and allowed us to play behind him.”

The final word was the same as the first. “We will see what happens next Sunday. But if we are to go through, we will have to play a near-perfect match.”

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