Paris (AFP)
Sixteen matches, sixteen defeats, almost 500 points conceded ... Good last of its pool in Federal 2 (4th division), FC Lourdes XV, historic club of French rugby, escaped the descent in the fifth division after the FFR froze the amateur championships due to the coronavirus crisis.
With five small points since the start of the season, at ... twenty-eight lengths from the 11th and penultimate, the FCL was heading straight for the Federal 3 when, at the end of March, the epidemic stopped all the championships amateurs.
"We had three games left, two of which were at home, against Hagetmau and Orthez, the two teams before us. We could have hoped for at least one victory but that's it. It will be a season without a win," sighs. President Jean-Pierre Armengaud, returned to head the club for the third time for the third time just a few weeks ago.
"It was a very complicated season, especially from a moral point of view. Fortunately, we still had a nucleus of elders which meant that the group never exploded," says opener or rear Mathieu Pouey.
"The problem was rather that we really have a big lack of manpower, that's what sealed us. Every Sunday, we managed to hold a half-time, even an hour, before collapsing At the end. And it was repeated every week. We quickly found ourselves out of breath, we simply lacked the world to be able to be competitive every Sunday, "said Pouey, grandson of Henri Domec, 'one of the big names of FC Lourdes.
- Already miraculous three years ago -
By keeping the federal championships as they are, the French Rugby Federation has therefore saved the skin of FC Lourdes.
It has almost become a habit for the club, which had already been drafted in the 2016-2017 season, following the reform of the championship.
The FCL, it is however eight titles of champion of France between 1948 and 1968, six Challenges Yves-du-Manoir between 1953 and 1981 and legendary players such as' Monsieur Rugby 'Jean Prat and his brother Maurice,' Le Mongol 'Michel Crauste, Henri Rancoule but also Jean Gachassin,' The Professor 'Jean-Pierre Garuet, Pierre Berbizier or Aubin Hueber more recently.
The club also remained undefeated for eleven seasons at home between 1949 and 1960. But, between internal quarrels and financial difficulties, Lourdes returned to the ranks. To the point of fighting for its survival at the fourth level therefore.
"We were given the choice: among all the clubs, those who will be relegated will be relegated only according to their wishes. We, we made the choice to stay in Federal 2 because we felt that this season was a accident, "said the manager.
- 'We start from scratch' -
Because next season is preparing now for the FCL, which is looking for a coach. "We know it will be difficult. The first reaction is to say 'phew, so much the better'. But one of the first things that I told the leaders to do is + ok, we stay in Federal 2 but it’s better to figure it out well. So we’ll have to get back to work right away. There’s a lot of work to be done in terms of recruiting. We are starting from scratch, with a new project, ”said Pouey.
Bernard Laporte has pledged 35 million euros to help French rugby facing the coronavirus crisis.
"I understand that there would be a lot less levies from the Federation or the League. If there are less expenses, that will necessarily help the club, knowing that we still expect a decline in revenue, "says Armengaud, a chartered accountant at the city.
"We are never worried about the future of the club if we are careful, insofar as we make sure that the expenses do not exceed the receipts. The problem is that we can predict the expenses but We can hardly predict the revenues. How to arrive at estimating the partnership that we will receive, starting with the subsidies, which come from the municipality or the community of communes? ", affirms the president of the FCL, who hopes for a new miracle.
© 2020 AFP