All is not lost, but questions must be asked, another performance by Montpellier losing 22-16 at home to Bayonne, and on the very similar lines of the defeat against Brive, one not to be remembered!!
We are now in the era of professional rugby and have been for quite sometime, what does this mean? Firstly the players are now paid and paid very well for what they do, play rugby, but surely this is not just about turning up, putting on the jersey then going home, no of course not, then why do we see once again a match where pride commitment and passion plus the pure honour of putting on that rugby shirt for Montpellier is absent?
Years ago players turned up played their hearts out and got paid nothing, a few beers, perhaps a meal and if you were lucky a small amount of boot money if the club was that rich!!. Yet the dedication was always there, there was pride, there was passion, there was commitment, so where has it all gone wrong? Maybe it has not gone completely wrong, but the problems do exist and something has to be done quickly.

The contracts that players sign, 2 -3 years at a time, has this the same intensity for the club they will represent, or is it now just another job?  We seem to have a constant type of nomad who travels from club to club picking up the cheques but not getting the shirt dirty, this is not the case of every player but it certainly involves some. The ideas of that we will work harder the following week, is not enough, or the excuses that our Internationals were not present, everyone has to take their responsibilities under their own control, there has to be a passion for the club that the player is representing and fully commits to his position within the club, and the only way to do this is on the park showing to the supporters, sponsors and all concerned that they, the players, are here to win, and if that is not possible, they will have spent all their energy at least trying their ultimate best, this is not always the case. 
The players have not this burden on their own, the staff, coaches, in fact everyone including the club itself have all to take their responsibilities in this global effort of trying to produce the best team available and that everybody is present 100% mentally and physically and show their intent to all concerned that they will do their utmost for the club at all times..
There is still time for Montpellier to produce the results necessary to be playing TOP 14 next season but now is the time to start the operations that will succeed in our participation in next season’s elite and put every body’s minds at rest. Let’s see some pride, passion and commitment for the club we all love and are dedicated for, there are 6 matches left of which 3 are at home, we need to win all these three games and show everyone that we mean business, Montpellier is not a PRO D2 team but we need to re-earn our respect amongst the Elite.

Steve Whittell.