Following its decision to put an end to the amateur championships because of the health crisis, the French rugby federation (FFR) made decisions on relegation and accessions on Friday evening. For Tarn, Albi is still in the unknown, Graulhet and Mazamet are maintained, and Alban goes up in Federal 3.
In “full respect of government measures, and with primary concern the health of its licensees”, the French Rugby Federation (FFR) had to take a week ago “the painful” decision to end the 2019 season- 2020 amateur rugby competitions (see our previous editions). The day before yesterday evening, the federal office of the FFR made decisions on relegation and accessions.
The president of the Tarn rugby committee Alain Rey, explains these decisions and the consequences for the Tarn clubs.
What were the decisions made for amateur rugby by the federal office on Friday?
The FFR has instituted a single rule for all divisions of amateur rugby: climbed on the basis of the classification acquired and no systematic descent with the advice of the clubs concerned. For Tarn rugby, this is equivalent to keeping Graulhet and Mazamet in Federal 1, as was the case with Lavaur because of his classification. Ditto for Federal 2 with Gaillac and Saint-Sulpice, and for Federal 3 with Sor-Agout. Alban is naturally promoted to regional honor at Federal 3, and this validates his exemplary season. It is likely that the Occitania Regional League will align itself with this method for the regional series.
What about at the level of the National League?
The philosophy is different in the professional environment… The National Rugby League (LNR), which manages the Top 14 and the Pro D2, wishes to protect its clubs by maintaining the status quo with 30 clubs, and by not adopting the scenario of the FFR defended by its president Bernard Laporte with a rise of two clubs in Pro D2, potentially 32 professional clubs. The NRL justifies its position as coherent in terms of sports fairness with the final cessation of the Federal Championship 1 to four days before the end of the group stage. But there is no doubt that it is the economic reasons that prevail, the sharing of television rights in particular. The Albigensian Sporting Club, first of Federal 1, would therefore be victim not only of the health crisis … but also of the general financial crisis, to the detriment of its sports results.
Does Bernard Laporte maintain his proposal to integrate two Federal 1 clubs in Pro D2? And when will the decision be made?
Bernard Laporte’s proposal also put an end to this heresy which consists of playing in the same category, in Federal 1, professionals and amateurs. In fact, only 3 or 4 professional clubs of Fédérale 1, including Albi, have the economic structures necessary to be approved in Pro D2. Their inclusion in this category, justified sportingly, would have the merit of clarifying the system!
Bernard Laporte must quickly meet with representatives of the National Rugby League to discuss this subject.
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