Caudullo challenges Montpellier to be 'watertight' against Dupont / Photo: Thibaud MORITZ - AFP/File
Caudullo challenges Montpellier to be 'watertight' against Dupont
Montpellier head coach Joan Caudullo said on Friday his side have to be "watertight" to stop Toulouse superstar Antoine Dupont having an impact on this weekend's French Top 14 final.
Caudullo's outfit face the record 24-time champions at the Stade de France on Saturday with scrum-half Dupont back to his influential best.
The 29-year-old scored a try and set-up another in the 71-17 rout over Racing 92 in the last Friday's semi-final.
"Focusing on Antoine Dupont means you create space for others," Caudullo told reporters.
"We've worked so that we're watertight.
"The X-Factor is Antoine Dupont, who will try and make things difficult for us, but we want to play these type of matches," the club's former hooker added.
The game will take place with France experiencing record high temperatures with 35C heat expected for kick-off in Paris.
Local authorities have banned the sale of alcohol in public places while no alcoholic beverages including beer will be available inside the stadium, the Top 14's governing body Ligue Nationale de Rugby told AFP.
"It's been 10 degrees colder in Montpellier compared to the rest of France," Caudullo said.
"We woke the players up later this week, so they could be cold and could sleep more.
"It will be complex tomorrow night because it's very hot and we don't have experience of it," he added.
Caudullo will be without one of his most experienced players with flanker Yacouba Camara suspended after making a high against Lyon earlier this month.
"It's a shame Yacouba Camara is not on the field tomorrow," Caudullo said.
"When you start playing rugby as a child, you're taught the values of the sport and what is the Bouclier de Brennus.
"I think it's a shame that due to a technical mistake he's sanctioned like that especially because he represent rugby's values," he added.
M.Sutherland--NG
