He too was part of the thousands from Nice who went on a pilgrimage on May 20, 1983, to the Parc des Princes to support the valiant team from the Azure coast who were trying to clinch their first French championship title. Certainly, the Biterrois powerhouse took the Brennus Shield “home,” but many oval-loving supporters returned to the Côte d’Azur with beautiful yellow and blue images etched in their minds. Later, the Yves Du Manoir challenge, taken from Montferrand in 1985, would console the people of Nice before beginning a slow descent to hell that led the RRC Nice to be placed in liquidation in 2001.
The past is the past, you might say. Certainly, but every lesson is worth learning from this famed past and the “administrative” promotion granted to the Nice dossier should serve to consolidate the solid foundations of a club that is certainly ambitious but determined not to burn through the stages too quickly that could one day lead it to the pinnacle of the Top 14.
It’s a proud page of Nice rugby turning before the well-deserved holidays of both the players and the management team, and it will take courage and selflessness to write the new chapter starting next season. At the pen, we find the former lead reporter of L’Equipe, Julien Schramm, who reflects on this great reward and on the future of Nice oval rugby.
Nice Premium: Nice will play in Federal 1 next season. Julien, can you tell us more?
Julien Schramm: It’s a great joy for the entire club. The FFR, currently holding its annual Congress in Toulon, had its Executive Committee meeting on Thursday afternoon and decided to promote our club to Federal 1. In fact, we had applied three weeks ago, knowing that clubs like Vendres or Gourdon had refused promotion. By losing against Villeurbanne in the round of 16 of the Federal 2 championship, we missed the promotion on the field which was a real failure given the potential of our team and our ambitions.
So we took a roundabout way, which is not very glorious for some I understand, but ultimately deserved for the entire club. It’s not the promotion of a team that the FFR wanted, but the promotion of an entire club. A complete club with a wonderful rugby school, cadets, juniors, under 21s, women… In a city like Nice which has a strong rugby past and evident economic and demographic potential to support this ambition to see the club reach the highest level again.
You know, everything counted in this dossier: our facilities with a perfectly adaptable stadium, our 600 licensees, the good health of our finances, our ability to train young players, our 240 kids from the rugby school, the presence of solid financial partners, the arrival of Christophe Moni… it’s everything. It’s the success of an entire club, not just a few people.
NP: What does this change in the club’s objectives?
JS: We save a year, which is very important. Federal 2 is too complicated, too uncertain even with a good team. Federal 1 has become a very good championship. With the massive arrival of the world’s best players in Top 14 and Pro D2, Federal 1 has become a reservoir of excellent young French players.
The goal is to exist in this championship, to be worthy of the trust the FFR has given us. To stabilize at this level for 2 years. Then play for the promotion to Pro D2 in the third season.
NP: The fact that it was known so late, could it be penalizing for recruitment?
JS: We had anticipated this possibility and we worked ahead. And then we will rely on a base of existing players that are more suited to Federal 1 than Federal 2. I think of players like Moxham, Dames, Kinane, or Laurent Buchet who are cut out for the higher level and who have stayed loyal to us because they believe in the Nice project. As for recruitment, everything will speed up next week. Many players want to join us now. It’s easier. The priority is to build a very strong front five.
NP: Now in terms of recruitment, who are the new arrivals and departures?
JS: Kahlouchi, Mohl, Marras, and Urushadze are leaving. The prop Canizares and the center Mège, from Nice, are joining us, as well as the second row and the scrum half from Grasse, Derstroff and Rey. Other higher-level players will arrive in the coming days. We will have a very competitive team.
NP: With this good news, do you think local authorities and partners can put some money into it?
JS: We had a very comfortable budget for Federal 2, but it’s clear that for Federal 1, we need to step it up. We will tackle it. Most Federal 1 clubs in France have budgets over a million euros annually.
NP: In a few weeks the World Cup will start in France. Do you think the impact will be felt on the Côte d’Azur?
JS: Yes, because I already know that many foreign supporters coming to France will stay on the Côte d’Azur between matches. They will not go unnoticed and it will be an opportunity for the people of Nice to discover the conviviality, the warmth of rugby people. This should be a magnificent promotion of our sport in our city.
NP: On the prediction side: what World Cup final do you imagine?
JS: France-New Zealand… but I am very wary of the opening match against Argentina. The Argentinians are fantastic players and they currently have a superb generation well-prepared by… the French championship!
This opening match could be… “Tu quoque fili!”
NP: Nice rugby in Federal 1. A further chance to see a sports-studies rugby program come back to the Alpes Maritimes and Nice?
JS: Each thing in its time, let’s not rush things. Let’s structure the club properly, and everything will follow naturally. But let’s not forget that not long ago, Nice had the Espoirs hub which is today in Hyères. So, it’s definitely possible.
NP: Finally, what are Julien Schramm’s wishes at the dawn of a season in Federal 1?
JS: That Nice believes in its rugby club and all the values that this sport conveys.
That the city is convinced that a great club has its place here. It’s up to us to prove it by having a great season in Federal 1, confirming our ambition to develop rugby in the neighborhoods… 88,000 €, that’s the budget we have built for Nice Rugby Cities! We’ll start from the East, then move on to the Moulins. There you go, may Nice become a rugby city again.
A locomotive for all the rugby of the Alpes Maritimes.
