French rugby players at the top of Europe after their victory this weekend in the Six Nations Tournament against England. The Blues sign in passing a tenth Grand Slam. What will this victory over Côte-d’Orient amateur rugby bring? We asked the question to Vincent Lecheneaut, the president of CS Nuiton, the rugby club of Nuits-Saint-Georges.
France Bleu Bourgogne: is it a deserved victory for our Blues?
Vincent Lecheneaut: Yes of course ! The least we can say is that it is even amply deserved, this victory. It is the result of work undertaken for several years by the coach, all the rugby staff and all French rugby in particular. I think it’s a victory for the clubs, as coach Fabien Galthié said so well.
What consequences can this victory have for your club? For amateur rugby, here in Côte-d’Or?
You know, the France team remains the showcase of French rugby. With this new title it is a showcase that could not be more brilliant and we are obviously behind it. This French team identifies all the clubs in France, whether professional clubs or amateur clubs. And so, for us, it is a great satisfaction and it is above all, I would say, the door open to future future licensees, young people in whom this victory and this magnificent French team can arouse enthusiasm in all we hope to take advantage of this great victory to attract new graduates to our clubs.
Is this already the case?
Of course, among the boys as among the girls, we see that there is a craze for women’s rugby which means that even we, at Nuits-Saint-Georges, created a women’s team two years ago and it plays in the regional championship. We also see a lot of kids flocking, carried by their parents and discovering rugby. So all that is a good omen, especially one year from the World Cup where, like the previous World Cups, we will still experience an additional influx of licensees, so for the moment, it’s very positive . And it is really this team of France which pulls all the whole of French rugby.
Your club is also a training club, great players have worn the jersey of the XV of France and started in Nuits-Saint-Georges. The most recent is Arthur Retière. Is there pride also, precisely, on the side of Nuits-Saint-Georges after this great victory for French rugby?
Yes it is a highlight of all our clubs, all our volunteers, all the enthusiasts who work there and who are who will be available for our young people, for our young generations. And in a way, the France team of this victory. This is a way of thanking all of these volunteers who give their time and who come to take care of our young people. And as the French Federation did, we saw it in previous matches, under the numbers on the shirts worn by the players, we can see the name of the player’s training club and that’s really something! A recognition of the French Rugby Federation which wishes to honor all these training clubs, of which Saint-Georges is a part.