in the Spanish Basque Country, the slow development of rugby

Despite the humid and suffocating heat, the atmosphere remains calm. We can just see a few French supporters taking up residence in the bars at pintxos (local tapas) in the old town of San Sebastian (Spain). On the eve of the Top 14 semi-finals, Friday June 9 and Saturday June 10, the Basque city leaves so few clues concerning the holding of the event that one suspects its inhabitants of not knowing what is going on. frame. A few announcing posters line some ocher walls, but they are drowned out by the countless scarves or flags txuri-urdin (blue and white) of Real Sociedad.

Welcome to Donostia, the name of the city in language Basque, where we vibrate to the rhythm of the performances of the football club, brilliant fourth last season in La Liga. After ten years of abstinence, the music of the Champions League will resound next fall at Anoeta, the arena of these semis. “It’s clear that it’s a football-based environment here”smiles Laurent Travers, manager of Racing 92, opposed to Toulouse on Friday evening for the first semi-final.

Deeply rooted in the culture of the French Basque Country, called iparralderugby is much less so on the side hegoalde, in Spain. A curiosity, while many cultural ties unite the two branches of the historic region. “We have a small audience, it’s not like in Franceblows José Miguel Galdos Oronoz, technical director of the Basque Rugby Federation. The maximum here is 800 or 1,000 people.” Despite this confidentiality, the Basque Country remains one of the flagship regions of rugby in Spain, with around 4,000 players and up to four clubs in the first division. – which has 13.

A level comparable to the Federal 1

“When we played at Anoeta in the European Cup with Biarritz, we saw the enthusiasm”, however, remembers the former Biarritz third line Imanol Harinordoquy, consultant for France Télévisions. These gala meetings disputed in San Sebastián brought together nearly 30,000 people, including a good third “came from all over Spain, because it’s impossible to have matches of this level here”, adds Galdos Oronoz.

The level is indeed lower, due to the lack of real professionalism. “It’s comparable to clubs like Mauléon, Oloron or Anglet”, says Julen Goia Iriberri, a Spanish international who has played on both sides of the Bidasoa, the border river. The stables he lists oscillate between the National 2 and the Federal 1, the 4th and 5th French levels.

“Here, a so-called professional player barely earns 1,000 euros. Players have to go to Federal 1 to earn more money.”

José Miguel Galdos Oronoz, technical director of the Basque Rugby Federation

at franceinfo: sport

Julen Goia Iriberri is one of them. This winger landed in Biarritz in 2013, from his club in the small town of Ordizia. “It had nothing to do!replays the winger, then 18 years old. It was worthy of a football team in Spain, while at my club it was local players and a few professionals.” After two match sheets in the Top 14 with the BO and a stint at Mauléon, Goia Iriberri returned to Ordizia, in the first division.

An acknowledgment of failure? “On the contrarycuts the leader Galdos Oronoz. It is positive that these players bring the fruits of their French training to us.” The low resources allocated to the youth teams are indeed a brake. “The key is economic investment and institutional supportportrays Goia Iriberri. There is a lot of potential and a lot of room for development.”

The dream of a Basque selection

“The border marks a lot. We have a real political dependence on Spain, but here, everything is done for footballcompletes José Miguel Galdos Oronoz. We look more north than south.” Among young people, it is not uncommon to see Franco-Spanish clashes. A tournament, called Eurochallenge, was even created in 2019 to protect these cross-border games “I remember playing with the rowing cadets in the mini-stadium just behind”confides the third row of Racing Baptiste Chouzenoux, from the Anoeta press room.

“I have a memory of a match at Hernani in minimal, but it was especially for the Oktoberfest!”

Max Spring, rear of Racing 92

at a press conference

But the ambitions of Basque rugby do not stop there. “We are fighting for our recognition with World Rugbysays José Miguel Galdos Oronoz. Wales and Scotland do it, why not us? The manager is convinced of this, a selection euzkadi bringing together French and Spaniards could compete with second or third European nations. A symbolic step will be taken on Saturday at 12 p.m., with the first match for more than four years of this XV selection against its Catalan counterpart, in the mini-stadium which adjoins Anoeta.