Transfers. Dax, Chambéry, Suresnes, Cognac/Saint-Jean… Things are moving in National 1

–

The championship of Nationale begins to deliver its verdict, since it is Massy et Soyaux-Angouleme who validated their promotion to Pro D2 on Sunday, eliminating Albi and Valence-Romans respectively in the semi-finals. RCME and SA XV will compete for the honorary title of French National champion on Saturday June 4 (3:30 p.m.) at the Ernest-Argelès stadium in Blagnac (Haute-Garonne).

At the same time, the 12 other clubs which will evolve in September in the new National 1, in the company of the two finalists of the Federal 1 championship (known at the end of the semi-finals opposing Rennes to Périgueux and Nîmes to Hyères / Carqueiranne / La Crau), behind the scenes to prepare for next season. After Nice, Soyaux-Angoulême, Tarbes or Bourgoin-Jallieu, it’s the turn of Chambery, Dax, Suresnes et Cognac/Saint-Jean-d’Angely to panic the transfer market.

Chambéry attracts Vereniki Goneva (Mont-de-Marsan)

The beautiful pick of the last few days has been made by Chambery5^e of the regular phase and eliminated in the play-off by Albi this season. The Savoyard club has secured the services of the Fijian winger or international center from Mont-de-Marsan (Pro D2), Vereniki Goneva (59 selections). Despite his 38 springs, he is one of the great architects of the surprising Mons season (19 games, 4 tries) and participated in the qualification for the Landais final, starting on the right wing in the half against Nevers. It is also a reinforcement of experience which can allow the SOC to take a step forward and continue its ascent, since the former international at 7 has been champion of England in 2013 with the Leicester Tigers and has 13 professional seasons to his credit, under the colors of Colomiers, Tarbes, Leicester, Newcastle, Harlequins and Mont-de-Marsan, where he had been playing since July 2020.

This is the 10^e rookie of the Savoyards, who have already enlisted the third line of Massy (National), Jean-Baptiste Greod (26 years old), the center of Dax (National), Victor Pisano (27), the center of Vienna (Federal 1), Jules Dorrival (25 years old), as well as two players from Mâcon (Fédérale 1), the mainstay Geraud Clermont (29 years old) and the center Maewen Sao (24 years old), and three elements of Dijon (relegated to National 2), the scrum half Thibault Dufau (27), the Hong Kong international back Paul Altier (23 years old) and the third row Colin Lebian (22 years old). Without forgetting the arrival of the young hooker Luka Begic (21 years old), ex-international U17 and U18 who arrives from Espoirs du Racing 92, after having started in Chagny (Saône-et-Loire) and was trained at CS Beaune (Côte-d’Or).

Dax. Maxime Delonca (Bayonne) back

After announcing no less than 10 departures, including the experienced Alex Tulou (35) and the historic Beñat Auzqui (38, Rion-Morcenx) and Martin Prat (32), the US Dax (7^e de Nationale this season) formalized its first recruit, this Tuesday, May 31. This is the return to the club of the hooker from Bayonne (Pro D2), Maxime Delonca (34 years old). Trained at the Catalan Sports Star (Argelès-sur-Mer) and ex-international U18, he went through the Perpignan training center and made his professional debut with Usap.

Then, he played 4 seasons in Dax in Pro D2 (from 2014 to 2018) under the orders of Richard Dourthe as well as Patrick Furet and Raphaël Saint-André, before joining Aviron Bayonnais in 2018. “He knows the club and he remained very attached to the USD, coming to attend almost all the meetings in Maurice-Boyau “, thus indicates the Landes club which will be managed by Jean-Frédéric Dubois (general manager) and Marc Dal Maso (coach of the scrum ).

10th recruit for Suresnes, with a pillar of Vannes (Pro D2)

9^e of National this season, the RC Suresnes is one of the most active clubs in recent weeks on the transfer market. After announcing the signatures of Louis-Matthieu Jazeik (third line, 29 years old, Carcassonne), Thomas Baudy (back, 24 years old, Aubenas), Sebastien Lafrancesca (pillar, 24 years old, Drancy) and Ignatius Mieres (opener, 35 years old, Dijon), the Green and Black have signed 6 new recruits. The latest is the left pillar of Vannes, Lucas Dycke (23), who has played 5 Pro D2 games this season.

The Nordiste, passed by Dunkirk, Massy, ​​Lille and Marcq-en-Barœul is added to the arrivals of two Argentinian pillars Victor Damian Arias (32 years old, Bourg-en-Bresse) and Leandro Mario Assi (33 years old, Bourgoin-Jallieu), from the second line of Dijon (National 2), Florian Desbordes (26 years old), from the center of Drancy (Federal 1), Hugo Detre (24 years old) and the winger from Aubenas (National 1), Alexis Clement (22 ans).

Cognac / Saint-Jean-d’Angély retains Eneri Lotawa, but deplores 21 departures

Finally, on the Union Cognac/Saint-Jean-d’Angély side (12^e) who saved herself in extremis in National this season, we are working to secure her executives. After extra time from the second line and captain Clement Praud (35 years old) and the pillar Mickael Hygonnet (28 years old), he is the winger Eneri Lotawa (25 years old) who joined the UCS until 2024. At the club since 2017, the solid Fijian (1.90m; 92 kg) scored 8 tries in the last two National seasons (34 games, 32 starts) .

This is excellent news for the Cognaço-Angériens who are faced with a major wave of departures and career stops, since 21 players will leave the UCS this summer* (Aho, Vatubua, Larré Larrouy, Lavetanakoroi, Sentucq, Bidegain, Zubizarreta, Berger, Villanove, L alarm, Duhourquet, Mioche, Davetawalu, André, Randle, Kerr, Drie, Prudhon, Karea, Avinens and Dospital). While only two recruits have been confirmed for next season: the winger Vincent Pageneau (27), who arrives from Sarlat (Federal 1) and the Georgian pillar Aliko Kaikatsishvili (27 years old), who arrives from Graulhet (Federal 1).

*Source All Rugby.com.

Was this article helpful to you? Note that you can follow Actu Rugby in the My Actu space. In one click, after registration, you will find all the news of your favorite cities and brands.

–