Le Figaro. The Grand Slam is a victory for all of French rugby. What are the repercussions for his professional part, the Top 14 and the Pro D2?
René Bouscatel:
These are not direct consequences.
But it was important for the League and for the clubs to give all the means to the French team to achieve good performances.
The first stage has been reached, with this Grand Slam.
There remains the second, the 2023 World Cup in France.
This Grand Slam sheds light on the quality of French rugby, the players and the clubs.
With indirect benefits, I hope: the conquest of new audiences, new partners.
It is a very strong spotlight on our sport in general and, indirectly, on the rugby of professional clubs.
All the Blues evolve in Top 14, some recently in Pro D2. This demonstrates the level, the value, of these two championships.
It demonstrates the level of French professional clubs, the quality of our championships, the rise of the Pro D2.
But we already knew that, just look at our very good results in the European Cup… This good health of club rugby is reflected in the XV of France.
The efforts made by the clubs and the NRL's policy over the past few months to collaborate more directly and positively with the Federation are bearing fruit.
We put our best elements at the disposal of the XV of France in better conditions, and it shows.
The victory belongs indeed to the players and, incidentally, to the staff.
Read alsoBernard Laporte, the success of the XV of France at all costs
This success of the XV of France is also a consequence of the quotas imposed by the League of Players from French training (JIFF)...
Of course, that has allowed more and more young people to play, to give them more playing time. They are therefore more numerous and reveal themselves earlier.
This is also the effect of duplicates (
smile
).
Some clubs play more young people to compensate for the absence of internationals.
Result, there are not only thirty high-level players applying for the France team but double!
We saw it last summer during the tour of Australia where the supposedly B team gave the Wallabies a lot of trouble.
Afterwards, there are these good effects and less good ones.
I am thinking of the inflation of the salaries of French players,
“Some clubs are making fantastic efforts in favor of the France team, which should be applauded.
It's the price to pay.
And the clubs accept it without much reluctance, even when this situation puts them in difficulty… ”
The clubs made big sacrifices by releasing 42 players, including 28 who did not play in the league at all during the two months of competition?
We can complain about duplicates, and I complain about it, but some clubs are making fantastic efforts in favor of the France team which should be welcomed.
I take my hat off to them for accepting this situation in the general interest, without pushing their particular interests to the extreme… But that's the price to pay.
And the clubs accept it without much reluctance, even when this situation puts them in difficulty.
When a club has two or three players selected, we can always find solutions.
But when it's ten or eleven, it's a big handicap.
The sporting but also economic consequences, in relation to the filling of the stadiums, to the partners...
What do you say to the supporters, in particular those of Stade Toulousain, who consider that these numerous and long absences have harmed the sporting fairness of the Top 14?
I will insist on the beneficial effects.
It allows the faster hatching of a greater number of young players.
And that the magic of the Top 14 is its final stages.
We can afford a certain sporting inequity caused by duplicates but, in the end, we start a new championship with playoff matches.
“We will play three Top 14 days before the 2023 World Cup before stopping.
Which is going to be complicated to manage…”
There is no miracle solution to reduce the number of duplicates?
First, and it's important to remember, we must not increase the number of international matches.
We are already at the maximum, on the job (
3 tests in November, 5 matches of the Tournament, 3 tests in July, NLDR
).
We are currently negotiating the next agreement with the FFR.
There will be no turning back on our part, but I hope there will be no running away.
I don't think so... Afterwards, a solution could go through another championship format.
But the current attractiveness of the Top 14 and the Pro D2 is linked to the transition to the single pool.
If we want fewer matches, we need fewer clubs.
I made a commitment not to reform the formats until after the World Cup.
The clubs will then discuss.
Should their number be reduced?
Revise the formula?
Change nothing?
I can't give you the answer.
It will take a consensus in the general interest, and not in the particular interest of each club.
Read alsoGalthié after the Grand Slam: "Full of problems await the XV of France"
On the other hand, there will be no duplicates during the 2023 World Cup (September 8 to October 28) organized in France?
We will play three days before the World Cup before stopping, yes.
Which will be difficult to manage.
The clubs will prepare, play three matches, before a big break of almost two months.
But it is the price to pay when we are lucky enough to have this great event in France which will shine the spotlight on the French team, for which we wish every possible success, and on French rugby, amateur and professional.
In the shorter term, during the November 2022 tour and the 2023 Tournament, will this provision of 42 players be renewed?
We are currently discussing the new agreement with the Federation.
But a balance has been struck and there is no reason to go back.
Provided, I repeat, not to add new international meetings.
As one of my coaches said, and I didn't have many at Stade Toulousain (
Guy Novès, editor's note
), we load the boat a little more every year and, afterwards, we find ourselves over the water...
