Pro D2: Clément Ancely, captain of the ASBH, the DNA of aquí rugby

Clément Ancely s'épanouit à Béziers où il adhère pleinement au système de jeu. Midi Libre – Laurent François

A native of Béziers, by joining ASBH, Clément Ancely found his family, his friends and flourished fully in the Béziers club, where he played among the youth. He talks about his beginnings at Servian Boujan, his journey outside Biterre and his pleasure in evolving within this ASBH which has seen him grow and which he hopes to see remain at the top. Portrait.

Wednesday, late morning. Clément Ancely, the captain of ASBH, who hosts Agen this Friday January 26, returns from the Palais des sports in Béziers, the home of the Angels. He comes out of a cryotherapy session: "It's very good for recovery", he explains,  all smiles, his cap screwed on& nbsp;head. He arranged to meet at a bakery in the Courondelle district: "I like coming here, it's practical,  we can park easily", says he said while enjoying a coffee. The strong guy is relaxed. Like every day, since with Marion, his partner, and Alba, his two and a half year old daughter, he packed his bags in Biterre, he is fully enjoying his return to Béziers, where he was born and where' nbsp;lives with his whole family: "We live in Maraussan, my parents are in Servian and my brother is in Abeilhan. Marion is also from here, he adds enthusiastically.

From the beginnings to Servian/Boujan

He thus finds the meadows, where he put on his first crampons. Because Clément Ancely fell into the deep end of the Ovalie, at the age of 5, at Servian Boujan's rugby school. His parents were volunteers there. He then joined the ASBH, joined the hope center of the Jean-Moulin high school, before leaving his hometown for the France center in Paris: "It's&nbsp “at that time I changed clubs and joined Bayonne in the Top 14,” says the ASBH captain. I was in junior. We became champions of France Reichel, after having played the final, against Lyon, at the Stade de la Méditerranée."

Clément Ancely will stay in the Basque Country for three years. The opportunity to play a first match in the Top 14, before seeing Rowing relegated to Pro D2. At 22, it was in Massy that he bounced back and came true:   "With Marion, we realize today that we We spent wonderful years there in the Paris region, recognizes Clément. In the team, we were all young players, almost the same age, in couples and without children. The club was very family-friendly. There was a lot of fraternity and solidarity. Values ​​dear to rugby players, for whom communion with teammates and supporters is an art of living.

In 2017, Massy reached Pro D2 and the 3rd line met a certain John Madigan who joined the Ile-de-France club. But it was finally in Grenoble, in the process, that Clément Ancély took off definitively: "The year I signed, Grenoble climbed into the Top 14, he remembers. The start was difficult, there was a lot of competition and what's more, I was injured at the start of the season."

Five years in Grenoble

Relaunched on the occasion of the European Challenge, it is finding a place under the sun of the Top 14 within the fifteen Isère region: "We spent 5 years in Grenoble, smiles- he. Alba was born there. This is where I really took a step forward in sport. I also resumed my studies and completed a master's degree in management and business management."

Contacted by Pierre Caillet, the Béziers coach, who noticed him, Clément Ancely seized the opportunity to join Béziers: "We said to ourselves that it's “It was the right time to come back home,” says the 3rd line, aged 30. He was not wrong. He flourished at ASBH, where his commitment and talent made him an undisputed captain: “When everything is going well on the pitch, we don't ask ourselves any questions, he notes. I found generous and vengeful guys in Béziers. In addition, I knew Charly Malié and Hans Nkinsi with whom I had played as a cadet. I also find myself in the proposed game. There is a certain freedom in terms of movement on the ground. I try to be as supportive as possible. I appreciate this rugby of movement, of movement, of looking for intervals. As soon as I arrived at ASBH, I joined the game project. We are all going in the same direction. Playing for the city where I was born, in front of my family and friends motivates me every day. This club is special and everyone who supports us deserves that we give 300%"

"Béziers must play the final phases,
every year"

It's by looking towards the top of the ranking that Clément Ancély considers his future under the colors of Béziers: "It should not be a flash in the pan , he assures with determination. I signed for three seasons and I don't want it to end. Béziers must play the final stages every year. The club must further structure itself and continue to move forward. It would be a lie to say that we don't look at the rankings."

No question, therefore, of giving up, this Friday January 26, against Agen at the Raoul-Barrière stadium: "Agen is a team of the caliber of Aix. Winning would be the best way to erase the frustration of the defeat against Aix. We have to play a great match in front of our supporters. We can't wait to play this game."

To raise, once again, our arms to the sky. With, for Clément Ancely, a dream firmly anchored in his head: "Write our own history, play the finals at home."