Time to resume at the Nîmes Rugby Club: “The objective is to move up to the National”

Le président Steeve Calligaro a parlé aux joueurs dans le vestiaire. Midi Libre – MiKAEL ANISSET

Nationale 2. Après l’échec de la saison passée (élimination en barrage), le club du président Steeve Calligaro visera l’accession. Et a recruté en conséquence.

The Nîmes rugby players returned to the field on Monday. Twenty-four hours later, the president of the RCN, Steeve Calligaro, really kicked off the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Press conference, locker room chat… He thus gave the “la”, and set the framework for the season to come. "The objective remains the same, namely to move up to National!"

A rising payroll and budget

A major nuance, because Nîmes had announced to play the climb last year without making it an obligation; and an obvious fact that it’s always better to remember, especially after a mixed season (elimination in the final phase play-off). Even if, in his eyes, "not everything should be thrown in the trash! However, the sporting results are far from the club's ambitions and its means. We have doubled the payroll in three years. And we went from a total budget of 1.6 to 2.8 million euros", announces the strong man of the club.

A budget which allows the RCN to recruit at the height of its ambitions (read below), and relevant in all lines on paper. With his three years in office, Mr. Calligaro has, however, put in place some safeguards.

Mercato: ten recruits, twelve departures

With the departures of Nouri for Rumilly, of Maisuradze, Laffont and Demars à Aubenas and Totovosau à Mâcon, some reunions in Nationale 2 will undoubtedly be worth the detour… Alexandre Nierat joins his brothers at neighboring Les Angles (Fédérale 2), just like Pichard. Sellan takes the direction of Saint-Sulpice-sur-Lèze (F1) when Vernier, Llabres, even Duprat, put an end to the race. their career. As for Pierre-Gilles Lakafia, he decided he retrained as the team's physical trainer.

In the other direction, the RCN records the arrivals of Di Pasquale (MHR Espoirs), Austruy (Soyaux Angoulême, Pro D2), Samuel Roche (Hyères, Nationale), Lauré-Laurrouy (Auch, N2), Stankovic (Stade Métropolitain, N2), Arnaud (Aubenas, N2), Maumont (Arcachon Basin, N2), Vialle (P&rigueux , N), Batibasaga (Rennes, N2) and Coignat (Chambéry, N).

Victory Bounties

And a slogan, the requirement, translated for example by the establishment of victory bonuses (130 euros) and not match bonuses like these recent seasons. "The conditions offered to players must sooner or later translate into results. I changed my tune on this. I'm going to be more demanding!"

In short, the business leader that he is now wants a return on his investment. To the wise… To do this, the players are getting active: they are leaving this weekend for Valencia for a cohesion course with the 6th Light Armored Brigade. A muscular recovery.

Behind the scenes of the recovery

After the military training this weekend, the RCN will play three friendly matches: & Carcassonne (National) Friday 2 août à 7 p.m., à Berre (Féd 1) Friday 9 à 7 p.m. and face the Espoirs de Montpellier à Kaufmann Saturday 17 à 15 h 30.

The championship resumes on August 31. The team will be officially presented on Thursday September 5, rue Auguste, at the foot of the Maison Carré to show "the club’attachment à the city of N&icir;mes".

An open evening at all, by reservation with the club, and in partnership with Midi Libre: it will be hosted by Olivier Biscaye, the editorial director of your newspaper.

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