Tristan Tedder, the fullback and fly-half for USAP who played his last match in the red and gold jerseys on Saturday, has won the Oval d’Or award for Top 14 from L’Indépendant.

After USAP’s glorious season, maintaining their Top 14 status with style, it’s difficult to single out any one player as a standout personality. However, when reflecting on the season as a whole, Tristan Tedder emerges as the winner of the 2022-2023 Oval d’Or award from L’Indépendant for Top 14. In his second and final season in Perpignan, the South African fullback and fly-half had an exceptional season. He finished as the team’s top scorer with 191 points and was also their top try scorer. Even though he was slightly less impressive on Saturday night, missing 10 points from kicks and making some poor decisions, he was consistently impressive throughout the season.

Tedder started his season with a bang, scoring the first try of the season during the opening match against Pau, intercepting the ball and running 70 meters to score. He set the tone for the rest of the season, carrying the team on his shoulders during their more difficult moments. He contributed 14 of the 19 points scored against Toulon during their first win of the season, and 9 of the 14 points scored the following week against Castres. His statistics may not always have been extraordinary, but his consistency was crucial.

Tedder was also the leader of the team’s play during the early part of the season, despite his introverted nature off the field. He was incredibly determined and aggressive on the field, trying to create opportunities for the team when things weren’t going well. It was during the eighth round against Bayonne that the turning point came. The coaching staff had experimented with putting Jake McIntyre, the second fly-half in the team, at fullback. The defeat prompted them to try the opposite combination, with Tedder moving to fullback and allowing the Australian to return to his preferred position. This was the moment of enlightenment for the team’s collective play.

From that point on, Tristan Tedder became the fullback the team had been searching for since Melvyn Jaminet left. He was sorely missed during the winter, when USAP went through a rough patch. He was knocked out during the first minute of the match against Montpellier, two days before Christmas, in an accidental collision with the winger. He missed the following three matches, all of which were losses, and it had a significant impact on the team’s morale. When he returned, he made a huge impact. Against Stade Français, he regained his rhythm and had the humility and clarity of mind to let McIntyre take the kicks, while he focused on his own game. He played a crucial role in holding onto the ball during a match against Brive, where he scored the winning conversion at the 76th minute. However, it was during the following match against Pau that he truly took control of the game. He scored 25 points, including two tries, and came agonizingly close to a hat-trick. This match set the tone for the rest of the season.

Tedder’s future has been in doubt for several months, as USAP knew they were going to lose their best player. In the autumn, the club’s management tried to extend Tedder’s contract by offering him the highest salary in the club’s history. However, the budget constraints of Perpignan made it difficult to compete with the biggest clubs in the Top 14. It was Racing 92 who came out on top. Tedder will replace Finn Russell next season, which is a challenge that is well suited to his talent.

On Saturday night, after the victory over Grenoble, Tedder had kind words for Patrick Acebes and the club that helped him grow and become the excellent player he is today. He also looked forward to returning to Aimé-Giral Stadium next year in his new jersey. « I’m afraid (laughs). I know what the atmosphere is like now. I’m very happy that Perpignan is staying in Top 14. I’m looking forward to returning to Perpignan, but with a different jersey, it will be a different experience. I’ll have to own it. »

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