Amateur rugby: narrowly saved during the off-season, RC Cévenol must not miss its second chance this season in Fédérale 3

Un vrai test cette saison pour les jeunes alésiens. – C.Milles.

Sauvé in extremis d’une descente en Régionale 1, durant l’intersaison, le RC Cévenol a bien démarré sa nouvelle saison, avec pour objectif le maintien.

Relegated last April, at the end of a tight regular season, with a compact Drôme-Ardèche-Isère group, Alès finally had the right to a second chance. It must be said that with a record of eight wins for ten losses, the Cévenols were the first in the South zone in the event of repechages.

Read also: Amateur rugby: “It must be unprecedented to find yourself relegated with 8 wins”, RC Cévenol must win at Teil to hope to stay up

“We learned about it at the end of June, beginning of July, we knew it could happen, notes manager Eric Sanchez. It's good because we were able to keep all our youngsters.” Less wealthy than some clubs in its group, RC Cévenol relies above all “on our training and on people who want to play together”, specifies the technician. In a group with a strong southern accent with, among others, the Héraultais of Sète and Vendres-Lespignan, the Audois of Corbières XV or the Varois of Draguignan, Alès is like Tom Thumb.

Objective maintenance

"On paper, but also on the field, we have a very difficult group with experienced players who have mostly played at a higher level, like Saint-Saturnin, last Sunday", adds Sanchez.
The promoted Vaucluse team, which strengthened during the off-season, nevertheless came to a crashing halt at the Silhol promotion stadium (28-20). "My players showed enormous solidarity, at home, they didn't want to give up, Eric Sanchez rejoices. We were in front for most of the match and we had the balls to finish the match."

S’there is a real challenge for the RCC this season, it’s the depth of the bench, to hold up over time. “It's the length of the bench that will tell us if we'll be able to hold out this season”, to achieve the goal of staying up. But the manager doesn't rule out anything: “If we can go and tease qualification, why not?” 

On Sunday, away to Marseille, at the foot of the Vélodrome, the Alésiens will want to confirm.