Rugby: if RC Nîmes, currently 6th, missed the final stages of National 2, “it would be an industrial accident!”

This Tuesday at the Drop, Kaufmann stadium, Steeve Calligaro, president of the RCN, surrounded by two partners of the club, Alain Bourdereau of the Restos du Cœur du Gard (left) and Eric Siano, president of Pix3l (right). MIDI LIBRE – F. L.

A non-qualification for the final stages is unthinkable for Steeve Calligaro, the president of a Nîmes Rugby club that hosts the Swiss from Geneva (3rd), Saturday. The RCN is 6th in National 2 after 15 days. And the… first six will qualify.

This Tuesday, January 21st at the Brasserie du Drop, Steeve Calligaro, president of RC Nîmes, invited the media to a press conference. The opportunity to take stock of the sport before the reception this Saturday of Servette de Genève (3rd, 7:30 p.m.).

Sixth with six days to go in the regular season, the Nîmes players alternate between good and bad. Like in Mâcon where they returned empty-handed (23-15). Bad deal because at the same time, all their rivals took at least one point… “Geneva is a match with a real sporting stake. We are entering the money time to play the final stages (reserved for the first 6, Editor's note)”, recognizes the strong man of the RCN who admits that not being there would be “an industrial accident”.

A dozen players at the end of their contracts

Victory is therefore imperative for the Gard club, which is already preparing for next season behind the scenes. “With a constant budget, or even slightly reduced, for its professional side, and still the same ambitions to move up”, specifies Calligaro.

Sleepless nights in perspective for a president who will have to compromise between ambition and realism. A dozen players are at the end of their contracts, and not the least like Pierre Chastaing, Martin Félix or Bastien Gensana (all three nevertheless have an option year) or the winger Salmone Qeleca.

A stint with Vannes for Qeleca, extended loan for Batibasaga ?

The latter, one of the best try scorers in National 2 (7), will be doing a stint at the beginning of February with Vannes for the final of the In Extenso Supersevens. A Breton club that “does not seem closed to extending the loan” of Tiko Batibasaga. One thing is certain, “we need to arm ourselves more up front with players like Tiko or Adam (Bouaré) on loan from the MHR”.

Unknowns that do not disturb coach Guillaume Aguilar: “That does not fit into my line-ups at all. All the players are competitors and know their interest”. Everyone will be keen to “gain in efficiency, to avoid gaps in the face of efficient and better-equipped teams, such as Vienna, Rennes or… Geneva“.

An immersion in the locker room in augmented reality… amazing!

Innovation. We tested it. It's amazing. Among the players during the warm-up, in the locker room for the coach's speech, in the corridor before entering the field… The virtual helmet on the head, it's a real pre-match immersion with the players that the company invites d’Aix Pix3l.

"This is a first", explains its director Eric Siano. "We shoté the images of this pilot during reception in Orleans. The idea is to bring rugby to life differently."

An initiative that has attracted President Calligaro who sees it as "a tool to promote our sport, especially among young people". This "technological innovation" will be presented to the public on February 15 at Kaufmann, for RCN – Nantes.

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