News
Perpignan doing it for Catalogne
October 09 2008
Eliminated by London Irish in the quarter-finals of last season's Heineken Cup, Perpignan have high hopes of taking a step closer to their first European title this time around - starting with a potential quarter-final in Barcelona.
According to Head Coach Jacques Brunel, the Catalans have no intentions of paying lip service to the European competition and harbour real ambitions of being involved at the business end of proceedings next May.
"Like all the other teams, we revel in competing in the European Cup," Brunel told the French press ahead of Perpignan's opening fixture against Italian club Treviso on Friday.
"What we like even more, is to be part of the final four of this competition. Perpignan have been quite regular these last years. Now we want to take the next step forward.
"If USAP wants to live up to it's ambitions, we must figure at European level."
The Catalans' domestic season got of to a shaky start last year and Brunel feels that it was European competition that inspired his team to raise their game and reach the Top 14 semi-finals.
"It's true that at the time, we had a very difficult start to the season," he said.
"As often is the case, the scent of the European Cup, with something that resembles international matches, did us a lot of good. It motivates and gives a team new ambitions."
Perpignan have somewhat of a crisis at fly-half. With Dan Carter's arrival still six weeks away, regular number tens Nicolas Laharrague and Steve Meyer both out injured and South African centre-turned-fly-half Gavin Hume now also an uncertain starter, the Catalan squad is looking a little thin on the ground if they want to be title contenders. Brunel says time will tell.
"This year, the primary objective is to qualify for the quarter-finals because our pool is a lot harder than last year," the coach explained.
"Given our calendar, we will know very quickly if we have a chance because we host Treviso before going to Ospreys and Leicester. After two or three matches, we'll know were we stand in the pool."
Brunel believes that his experience gained from being France's forwards coach has been a help in the Heineken Cup.
"[That experience] helps because it's a level up [from domestic rugby]," he explained.
"The way of doing things is different at this level and one has to adapt to the men at your disposal. You have to be demanding when it comes to performance."
Perpignan has a proud tradition and a strong Catalan heritage. Brunel says that their objective is to play a quarter-final over the Spanish border in the Catalan capital of Barcelona.
"It's true that our objective is to spread to southern Catalonia," said Brunel.
"It's football country but it has retained a very strong Catalan identity. It's our ambition. It will be difficult. Even if it is in Catalonia, it's still in foreign country. There are regulations and other problems that are also added. But the number one problem is qualifying for a home quarter-final."