Paulin Riva : l’objectif JO a été posé depuis deux ans
Paulin Riva, le capitaine de l’équipe de France à 7, ne cache pas sa fierté d’avoir été sélectionné pour porter la flamme olympique lors de la traversée de son département d’origine, le Gers. Le 18 mai, en cinq heures et sur 18 km, sept communes vivront pleinement le passage de la flamme olympique : L’Isle-Jourdain, Mirande, Fleurance, Marciac, Condom, Nogaro et Auch, là où Paulin Riva a fait ses armes.
« Ça m’a énormément touché d’avoir été choisi par la fédération et le comité départemental », a-t-il confié dans l’émission 100% Stade Toulousain sur France Bleu Occitanie.
« C’est une grande fierté. Je suis très fier d’aller aux quatre coins du monde et de revendiquer mon département qui est le Gers. En plus avec les autres joueurs qui le font rayonner tels que Anthony Jelonch, Greg Alldritt, Antoine Dupont, on est très fiers. Cette récompense de la flamme, c’est vraiment une fierté de pouvoir communier et partager ce moment avec tous les Gersois qui seront présents. »
La flamme olympique avant la médaille ? « C’est un objectif qui a été posé depuis deux ans », affirme-t-il. « On se sent capable d’aller chercher une médaille aux Jeux olympiques. On a prouvé récemment qu’on pouvait attraper l’or et forcément on va viser la médaille d’or aux JO. »
Dernières cartouches
Après un début de saison que Paulin lui-même juge « poussif » à Dubaï et Cape Town, le déclic a été sur la tournée nord-américaine de fin février début mars où France 7 a décroché le bronze (Vancouver) puis l’or (Los Angeles) avant l’argent début avril (Hongkong).
« On est en train de monter en puissance », dit-il. « On avait fait quelques bons tournois en finissant 4e mondial l’année dernière. Là on a eu un début de saison poussif à Cape Town et Dubaï où c’était un peu plus dur pour l’équipe. Mais on voulait progresser, imposer notre rythme, notre compétence et c’est plutôt positif.
« On reste aussi lucide. Forcément on a envie de performer au tournoi de Madrid pour être potentiellement champions des Series, ce que la France n’est jamais parvenue à faire, mais surtout arriver aux JO avec le plus d’expérience possible et de connexion entre nous. »
Il ne reste en effet que deux tournois avant l’échéance olympique qui débutera le 24 juillet au Stade de France (et jusqu’au 30) : le tournoi de Singapour du 3 au 5 mai, suivi par celui de Madrid du 31 mai au 2 juin.
« On a une dernière cartouche pour acquérir de l’expérience, essayer d’analyser encore mieux les adversaires pour arriver à Madrid et essayer de remporter ce fameux titre qu’on n’a jamais réussi à remporter », répète Paulin Riva.
Gérer au mieux le groupe
Si à Madrid France 7 pourra compter sur le retour d’Antoine Dupont qui a été si décisif à Vancouver et los Angeles, le capitaine réaffirme que le Sevens est avant tout un sport d’équipe.
« On part 14 en tournée, un groupe très soudé, très connecté. Gagner un ou deux matchs, ce n’est pas très compliqué, mais chercher un tournoi, c’est six matchs, trois jours ; il faut rester concentré, on a besoin de tout le monde. Il faut gérer au mieux la confiance du groupe et la confiance de chacun, gérer au mieux les blessures, ce qui peut être souvent quelque chose de compliqué. On peut se retrouver au 5e ou 6e match à jouer à neuf contre 11 ou 12 mecs en face. Il faut savoir bien gérer ça », prévient-il.
Actuellement 4e mondial au classement général – après avoir commencé dans les tréfonds du classement – France 7 peaufine son jeu et poursuit sa quête de médailles.
Comments on RugbyPass
Great try by van Poortvliet.
1 Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
3 Go to commentsWho will Joe select for the back three with so many in form candidates? Just hope he doesn’t get shafted like Dave Rennie and to a lesser extent Deans.
5 Go to commentsAlways reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
3 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
5 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
5 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to comments