Nice Premium: Julien, how do you analyze the preparation for this new season?
Julien Schramm: It has been very positive. The Moni-Boutet-Szezur trio worked perfectly,
which is the first good news of this early season.
Christophe
Moni brings his aura, his high-level rugby knowledge, all his
years spent alongside the best at Stade Français, with coaches
like Laporte, Connolly, Mallet, and Galthié… the players have great
respect for him, it’s evident. Manu Boutet, a trained coach, is all about
constant reflection on the game, on training, a strong character with a
clear educational sense. Anyway, I knew this duo would work very
well. The nice surprise is Nicolas Szezur, the physical trainer. A
true competence. He has been demanding with the players and since the
work he proposed was relevant, no one complained and I honestly think that
since August 21, the date we resumed, the group has taken a big step forward at
this level. Weeks of full and rich training sessions, players didn’t waste their time. Moreover, a second physiotherapist, Fabien Massabeau, has joined Seb Bottau.
I just have a personal regret about the recent departures of Ponthier to Grasse and Cardona to Saint-Raphaël.
NP: Sunday, the first meeting at La Seyne. How are you approaching this first
Fédérale 1 match?
JS: Without any complexes and without pressure. We have absolutely nothing to lose against
an opponent who will be one of the top teams in the pool. We will
be able to gauge ourselves.
To know where we really stand because even if we have a quality group that
has worked well, we are stepping into the unknown. Especially in terms of scrums,
the
aspect that changes the most from Fédérale 2 to Fédérale 1. Our preparatory matches won against La Vallée du Gapeau (Fed 2) and Toulon’s Espoirs (26–5) were positive but they didn’t allow us to test ourselves at this level. At the same time, we field a front five where four players are used
to this kind of confrontation: left prop Canizares, Traversa who
will play as a hooker, the South African right prop Von Molendorff, and the
second-row Dauchy. But, you know, the scrum requires cohesion and that takes time.
We’ll see on Sunday. Rudi Dames, our scrum-half and goal kicker, has just arrived
and won’t be on the team sheet, just like the third-row Rouillier and the winger Dramé. I remind you that the season’s goal is to maintain. We are betting
on a young group that we want to bring to maturity over 3 years.
NP: What are your satisfactions from this off-season?
JS: For me, it’s obviously the arrival of Christophe Moni. It triggers
everything.
The arrival of Manu Boutet, of Nicolas Szezur, of new players. It validates
all the efforts we have made to structure the club since last season
and our promotion to Fédérale 1. Another satisfaction is the sponsors.
Paul-Henri Safayan, who did a superb job last season, knew how to retain them.
NP: Some partners seem to have taken a step back. After an ascent to
the higher level, that’s not common, is it?
JS: You are alluding to the partners of OGC Nice, I suppose. Well, yes,
that’s
how it is. Let’s say that Gilbert Stellardo continues the adventure with us even
if
the financial contribution will be much less than last year. His arrival was
crucial at the beginning as it initiated this new ambition for rugby
in Nice. But he can’t do everything alone and be our sole source
of financing. Now, we are working differently, the club must be structured
in another way. A SASP (Société Anonyme Sportive Professionnelle) is going
to
be created very soon to bring in new investors. We are working on
it. The momentum created around rugby at the moment is very
positive.
We need to ride this wave.
NP: What is missing today for the RNCA to consider a move to Pro D2 or even further?
JS: One, more pronounced support from local authorities, two, a significant investor. It’s the same everywhere. A well-functioning club is one that
is
secured by local authorities and has strong economic power at its head.
Today, a Fédérale 1 club that wants to move up to Pro D2 needs at least
1.5 million Euros. We’re far from that. And a club that wants to thrive in Pro D2,
needs at least 5 million Euros. Let’s say we have the potential. We need to
develop it. Nice is the 5th largest city in France, it’s the internationally known Côte d’Azur, it’s an economy that works, it’s also a rich rugby history, it’s the Arboras stadium that can definitely
be further developed… honestly, there’s everything here to build a great club.
NP: A prediction for the semi-finals and final of this World Cup?
JS: France, of course, but I’m wary of this English team whose
pack is impressive, capable of disrupting the French like
Argentina did in the first match. For the other semi, I’d say the Springboks,
but
I have a real soft spot for this Argentine team that’s on a great
adventure. The day after the opening match, Serge Simon, who you know
well, predicted a France – Argentina final… he’s not far off.
NP: And a few words about the non-sporting aspect (organization, IRB, Federation…)?
JS: The World Cup is a great success, and we especially need to thank
the
players for saving it by beating the All Blacks in the quarter-finals. The stadiums are
full, the French public is following, TV audiences are breaking records… A
downside is the cost for people. It’s expensive, period. There’s
a money-sucking side that bothers me. But it would bother me less if I were
sure
that the IRB would use all it collects to develop rugby
around the world and not just serve the interests of the major nations.
Frankly, awarding the organization of the 2011 World Cup to New Zealand rather than Japan, was it the right call?
NP: Finally, what are Julien Schramm’s current dreams?
JS: Seriously, the creation of an IME (medico-educational institute) for
autistic children in Nice. There still isn’t one. The only one in the department is in Mouans-Sartoux. I started this fight three years ago with associations,
but it hasn’t moved yet…
