Why RC Vannes persists in playing rather than taking the points

Why persist in aiming for the try rather than scoring three points at the first opportunity or at least quickly as was the case on Sunday evening several times at the end of a match against Clermont lost by a small point by the RC Vannes? At the microphone of Canal +, Sébastien Chabal also did not understand “this strategy or this extremism of wanting to go to the touchline or to play by hand when there are potentially easy points to take”.

For me, it’s a reflection of people watching the match while going back and forth to the refreshment bar to get a beer

A question of statistics

At the post-match press conference, Jean-Noël Spitzer’s response burst out: “We just talked about it in the staff locker room. For me, it’s a reflection of people watching the match while going back and forth to the refreshment bar to get a beer. What did we take two essays on? Rugby must be looked at in a fairly systemic way. We were 7-3. We chose to take the points to move to 10-3. Behind, we never got our hands on the ball in the opposing camp. And we ended up conceding a try. In the second half, after a succession of penalties, we ended up taking the points. We move to 16-13. And the following times of play, we never got our hands on the ball in the opposing camp, ending up conceding a try. Statistically, we are faced with this problem.”

“Keep the opponent in his camp, under pressure”

And the Vannes coach added: “It depends on the teams. When you are stronger, more experienced, when your opener has 60 m of foot play, etc., OK, but when your arguments are trying to generate turnovers, recovery balls in messy situations, it must keep the opponent in his camp, under pressure. »

He was joined by his winger, author of the only Vannes try on Sunday, Romaric Camou: “If the touch is well executed, well played, it is the good option. If we score three points, they come back to our camp. We will never know what the right choice was, but I remain convinced that if we execute things well, we should score. We have to go ahead and win this match. » Obviously, RC Vannes does not seem decided to change software!