Created in 1964 around a “counter anecdote”, the rugby section of ASM will restart, due to regulations, at the lowest level in the 4th regional series after having been put on hold following four consecutive titles and a place in the illustrious Federal 3. Nonetheless, the oval ball will bounce once again, but on the right side this time, for the group of leaders convinced of the merit of bringing rugby back to princely land. Indeed, rugby was the only team sport no longer represented in the various championships in France. Jean-Pierre Duverger, Aldo Belmonte, Livio Milossevich, Patrice Martelli, Rod Guasco, Eric Faure, Michael Provenzano, and Pascal Bouyer are thus happy leaders to see the fruit of their labor just weeks away from this new baptism of Monaco’s oval.
In terms of development, the rugby school will consist of five categories ranging from under-7 to under-15 years. The club will also have a cadet team and a junior team supervised by volunteer coaches. With the number of licensed members having tripled in less than three years, ASM Rugby aims to build a solid project by investing in the training of its coaches up to State Level 2 Certificate, allowing consolidation of technical and pedagogical foundations.
Admittedly, a rugby stadium is still sorely lacking on the rock, and it will be the communes of Beausoleil and Cap d’Ail that will serve as the playing fields for the fans of the princely oval.
In short, all the ingredients seem to be in place for Monaco’s return to French rugby, and if the sporting authorities of the Palace were to give more credit, not only financially, to rugby in the Principality, the venture could be simpler to implement.
Thus, with a mix of nervous anticipation and excitement, the Monegasque XV will take to the field again next season to reopen a chapter of a story that, undoubtedly, should never have been closed!
The website of AS Monaco Rugby
