While France lives until October 28 to the rhythm of the Rugby World Cup, in our regions, we did not have to wait for the recent exploits of Antoine Dupont and his teammates to develop a passion for the oval.
Corentin Hubert – Today at 11:59 | updated today at 12:22
What could French XV winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Italian full-back Ange Capuozzo, or even Romanian Nicolas Onutu have in common? It’s not wrong if you answer that all three of them will have the chance to defend the colors of their country on the different French pitches hosting the World Cup, but that’s not the answer we expected. . Like Philippe Saint-André, Sébastien Chabal and Vincent Clerc before them, it was on our Rhône-Alpes lands that these three fellows discovered rugby. Like their glorious elders, it was on one of our grounds that they scored their first try. It was in one of our locker rooms that they took their first blower. And it was certainly in one of our bars that they played their first third half. But it’s sacred, what happens in the locker room (of a nightclub) stays in the locker room. So back to the field.
51,000 licensees in Aura, 21,000 in Paca
There were 51,045 of them in 2021 trampling on the green rectangle in Aura, according to the National Institute of Youth and Popular Education (Injep). A figure which makes it the third region with the most licensees, behind the ever-present Occitanie (69,121) and Nouvelle-Aquitaine (61,761). Paca was 5th, further behind (21,713). Why call us rugby grounds? “We may not roll the R’s, but we have proven for a long time that we are really a good breeding ground for rugby,” rejoices Martine Kohly, vice-president of the Department of Isère. Alexandre Nanchi, Aura regional advisor responsible for sports, agrees: “The players have succeeded in developing a real presence of rugby clubs in our territory”.
You will have understood, the oval ball is no longer necessarily the prerogative of the South-West. Licenses even saw a significant increase in 2022-2023. “We have returned to a level before Covid,” assures Patrice Coignat, president of the Ain rugby committee. The excellent results of the French XV have contributed to this renewed attractiveness and popularity, as has the development of women’s rugby, but the World Cup effect should not be neglected. “We are banking on an increase of 27% this year,” reveals the manager.
Disparities in equipment
Figures close to those of 2007, the last year when France hosted the rugby world championship (+ 30%). But this time, committee and club presidents want to transform the test by retaining the loyalty of the licensees. An essential issue for our clubs, in fragile health, especially as some have had to face a drop in public subsidies in recent years.
In total, nearly 300 clubs in Aura and more than 140 in Paca try every week, through educators, to teach the values of the oval to thousands of practitioners, and, who knows, to enable a new talent to hatch. Like FC Grenoble, recognized for its training center, more than 50% of whose workforce is made up of local players this season.
The fruit of a significant investment in rugby equipment “which means that our clubs have the means to train, to play and to recruit”, emphasizes Alexandre Nanchi. Sometimes with the support of the Region: in Aura 124 clubs have been able to benefit from regional aid for equipping sports clubs since its launch in 2018 for more than 334,000 euros. Other communities support clubs in their development: each year, the Department of Isère allocates 600,000 euros for rugby. However, “certain small amateur clubs sometimes find themselves with somewhat limited infrastructure,” recognizes Patrice Coignat. And even when there is: “In every village, there is a football stadium, but no rugby stadium,” laments the leader. In Ardèche, there are only 8.5 facilities per 1000 licensees (INSEE study), compared to 13.6 in Aura (695 stadiums) and 14.9 in mainland France. In Paca, while there were only 91 stadiums dedicated to the oval ball in 2020, the Region placed itself above the fray by being the first in France to launch its “Rugby Plan”. Since 2018, 7.5 million euros have been allocated to support federal sport or invest in sports facilities and equipment.
10%
Rugby remains a very masculine sport. In the Aura region, as at the national level, 10% of rugby licensees are women, one of the lowest shares of Olympic sports with football and shooting. They are more present in Haute-Savoie and Ardèche (12% of licensees), less in Ain and Savoie (9%).
The stadium, a vital asset. From a sporting point of view of course, but above all economic. In Grenoble, FCG recorded the second best attendance in Pro D2 last season, with 113,733 spectators in total at the Stade des Alpes (7,582 on average per match). CS Bourgoin-Jallieu also continues to attract fans. While it only plays in the National (3rd division), 1,500 supporters have taken out a subscription to follow their favorite team this season at the Pierre-Rajon stadium.
Something tells us that whatever the path of Fabien Galthié’s men, which we still hope to go as far as possible, the ovale fever is not ready to subside.
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