The French women’s performance at the Tokyo Olympics in the Rugby Sevens final will be “very good publicity for… rugby at 15”. Maxime Génique, president of the Stanislas Sevens club, in Thionville, does not necessarily rely on an explosion of licensees at the start of the school year. As much volleyball, handball and amateur basketball can hope for spinoffs linked to the French Olympic exploits, as much, there…
For this good reason that, in order to join rugby sevens clubs, it would be necessary … that such clubs exist. “In France, there are two of us who only offer that. Otherwise, there are about twenty clubs which offer their 15-a-side rugby players to play at 7 ”. And even. The meetings are made when the 15 players are not in competition. Thus, “in the Grand Est, tournaments are offered in May and June, in which around forty clubs participate, to then go and play the national final”.
In short, rugby 7 is not structured in France. No club, therefore, to welcome the French sportswomen who shone in Japan? No. “They are licensed to the FFR, but under contract to only train and play rugby sevens! “
A poorly structured sport
The 7-a-side game is reputed to be more dynamic and spectacular, “but the Federation must tell itself that promoting it means taking the risk that licensees will turn their backs on rugby 15” …
Maxime Génique is one of those who believe in it. And in its structure, which collaborates with the Saint-Pierre Chanel college-high school, 30 girls and 35 boys under 18 bring this discipline to life. “I manage to organize meetings, there is at least one game per month”. If an Elite circuit exists for twelve teams, men and women, seniors, “for those under 18 years old you have to find international tournaments! “
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And difficult to establish locally. “The City does not recognize us as a Thionville structure and would like us to merge with the Tygre”. But the two clubs, which collaborate well and carry out joint operations prefer “to remain on this cohabitation which is an asset”. And if the young people of Stan Sevens play at the Brennus stadium, “it is because the Tygre lends us slots”. However, the silver medal won at the Olympics “may help to relaunch discussions with Thionville”.
The Moselle Departmental Olympic and Sports Committee asked the club for the Terres de jeu caravan, “the Grand Est has known us for a while and the town hall of Yutz is following us”, to see if the course of Jade Ulutule, Caroline Drouin and others Anne-Cécile Ciofani will create sufficient emulation for the federal authorities to look a little more favorably on the fate of rugby 7. With expected local repercussions.
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