Like his teammates, and perhaps even more, Mathieu Bastareaud was very down on Saturday night after the cruel defeat of the Blues against South Africa. For the center of Toulon, "it's time too much", even if he refuses to resign himself and is already projected on Argentina.
Mathieu, what is your feeling tonight?
I am sad, angry. It's unrealistic to lose a match like that in stoppage time, in this way, after the riot of energy. Once again we are not rewarded. It may be too much time. It's hard to be positive.
How do you explain this defeat?
We kill ourselves. We take a cap test. And despite everything, even with that we are still in a position to win the match and in the end, we let slip, while we managed to make the break.
What happens on this last action?
We have a scrum a minute from the end. we are late on support. It is a lack of control, at this level it does not forgive.
Yoann Maestri says the week will also serve to talk to each other ...
We talked a lot last week, a little too much. If it's talking to talk, it does not interest me. It even breaks candies. If it's to get things done no problem we'll talk to each other. If it is to be at the same point and say we spoke, it will not help. Hot is difficult, it must digest. We will debrief this match. If there are things to say to each other, we will say them.
How to use this anger and frustration for next Saturday?
By having a good week of training, working the smallest details. Arriving with the same state of mind and the same desire that we could put today. We knew we would be expected on the physical dimension, on displacement. I think we were there on the commitment. We missed this little more lucidity, always in this area of conclusion where we can not score and where we make mistakes we pay cash.
Do you want Teddy Thomas?
You must not throw stones at him. It falls on him, it could have fallen on me, it has already been the case elsewhere It's a pity, it's a test opportunity among others we let pass. Nobody wants Teddy.
What did you think of these Springboks?
They did not expect to be bothered as much. We were well in place. They do not have frank occassions, but in the end it is they who win.
Is it too much?
I feel like I come to the press every time and say exactly the same thing. I know it does not show, but I'm getting old and tired. There are always positive points, it's always the same: we sent, we tried to produce the game, we sacrificed ourselves in defense, in the end we lose. It's been a while since it's like that.
Resigned?
Never, this Sunday must digest. We produce our families to regenerate. It's up to us to train everyone with us. There are many young people, learning is difficult. It's up to us to remotivier everyone and go fight the Argentines in Lille, which is never easy because they are catchy.