Rugby XV: A positive human and sporting assessment at mid-season for Camarès

Les joueurs de Camarès espèrent jouer le challenge Occitanie. Midi libre – Michel Durand

RC Rougier resumes its season this Sunday (3 p.m.), against Châtaigneraie rugby. They are currently 6th in their group.

The Rougier Rugby club has just started the return phase in Regional 2. The team started the championship with a larger group than last year (35 players) and a new staff with Roland Roques and Thomas Reynès as coaches. The balance sheet is satisfactory with 17 points and a 6th place in the general classification, far ahead of the seventh which only has 7 points. However, it must be put into perspective with the significant number of injuries since the start of the competition and the heterogeneity of the collective. It is made up of a good number of beginners or players who have only played rugby in youth categories. A point that Roland Roques would like to highlight, who knows the club well having coached it in the past: "The human toll is more than positive, we have new and quite a few beginners who are diligent in training. We do our best to get them involved, it sometimes plays tricks on us outside when we are limited in numbers. It’s our desire to make them play to the fullest." 

Many injuries to deplore

As for injuries, he doesn't find excuses: "Since the start of the season, we have had ten to fifteen injuries all the time but we are in our place. We had big, deserved disappointments away from home." Despite these difficulties, the state of mind is one of optimism: "The results sporty is good. The basics of the game are roughly the same and we try to add variations. We must progress in certain areas of play and in particular on touch."

Also read: Rugby union: A successful start to the season for the Camarès-Lacaune agreement in Federal 2

Objective to play the Occitanie challenge at the end of the season

In a "raised" the objective "is to participate in the Occitanie challenge where the club particularly shone last season by failing twice in the semi-final". Thomas Reynès is on the same wavelength: "Our goal is to finish in the top 5 or 6 to participate in the challenge and play the first match at home." The player-coach also places emphasis on the integration of new players:   "We need to integrate around ten new players to build the future. On a sporting level, we are on the ropes." The back line coach also regrets "the significant number of injuries" and looks ahead to the future: "The next two matches will be difficult. We need to win at home and we will have to do it this Sunday against Châtaigneraie Cele Rugby" (3 p.m., Editor's note). An opposition which promises to be difficult against the first before a trip to Espalion, the second. A great challenge for Camaresians who will be keen to start the new year well in front of their loyal supporters.

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