In a statement by its Deputy Mayor, Christian Estrosi, the City of Nice announces that, after meeting both parties, it places its trust in the Stade Niçois rather than Menir. Will rugby finally emerge as the big winner of this choice? Stay tuned for the next episodes…
Upon reading the two statements below, it appears that the message the City of Nice wished to convey through its working group was not understood in the same way by each party.
Will rugby manage to save its skin in Nice? It’s the least we hope for it, but it’s obvious that the quarrels are far from being settled, with some declaring they do not want to work with others, and those others unfavorably responding to the extended hand. It almost feels like a throwback to several years ago, where some of the key players were already present, with the premature demise of the Racing Rugby Club de Nice giving birth to Rugby Nice Côté d’Azur, which unfortunately met the same fate.
The choice has thus been made, but the antagonisms remain, as seen in Yvan Merlino’s response to Christian Estrosi’s statement. “I tried to call Tony Catoni as the working group advised us, but we only received a refusal. It’s too much after the decision was made without even informing us…” The entire management of Menir, the educators, and the administrative staff gathered last night in a café opposite the courthouse, a bit bewildered by the City of Nice’s statement sent just minutes prior.
So it will be a Perez-Catoni tandem under the aegis of Stade Niçois that will lead the new structure to energize Nice’s oval. With the choice made, naturally comes the time for questions, and there are many: What is the official project of Stade Niçois (no budget or operating plan has been communicated)? How will they start anew with many players already released elsewhere (Saint Laurent du Var, Grasse…) and the majority of educators and volunteers currently supporting Menir? What will be the future of women’s rugby and leisure rugby? What will be the overall project across all sections?
In short, many answers are eagerly awaited, if only to compare them with the clearly defined projects of Menir during the association’s last press conference. Certainly, time is of the essence as the French Rugby Federation needs to validate all its championships by the end of the week, but wouldn’t it have been wiser to have these two forces presently in agreement, who moreover have the peculiarity of being complementary? (one for the rugby school, the other for juniors, reserves, and the first team). It seems that communication is lacking between the two camps, and it remains to be hoped that the working group enforces the Mayor’s wish to “emphasize to the two leaders the importance of finding common ground to end the quarrels of the past.”
But, as is well known, it takes two to quarrel, and perhaps each party would do well to temper their stance before things turn sour.
To be continued…
