Oyonnax have to keep on believing

OYONNAX manager Joe El-Abd promised last week that his side would 'fight to the end' following their so-near-so-far 35-39 home defeat against fellow Top 14 lowlanders Montpellier.

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"We have reason to believe," he said. "We saw a team that fought right to the end in a very tough match from the start. We never gave up and now, with nine matches left, we've got to believe.

"We know it's going to be harder after this game, but we're fighting right to the end and we're not giving up. We have to keep working and fighting for our fans." Six domestic defeats in a row coming into the weekend - Oyonnax's only victory in 2024 was against Cheetahs in the Challenge Cup had left El-Abd's side bottom of the table, eight points adrift of 13th-placed Perpignan coming into this weekend.

It is unfortunate that Oyonnax have given full value for money in their difficult promotion season. They've beaten Clermont, Lyon, Montpellier, La Rochelle, and Pau. Few teams, meanwhile, score 34 points at Toulouse, a fact that visibly annoyed the Toulouse coach Ugo Mola at the time, despite the fact his side had scored over 60 in the same match. He urged his players to improve defensively.

This weekend, El-Abd, right, took his side to Clermont, the teetering stronghold of his former boss Christophe Urios. The Jaunards had lost three in a row, with their last loss at La Rochelle prompting the manager to question his players' mentality.