Lot amateur rugby trophies: vote for the best sevens player in the department

They are back! Amateur rugby trophies organized by La Dépêche du Midiin partnership with the Lot departmental rugby committee, return for their third edition. To celebrate the actors of this 2023/2024 season, marked by great sporting successes in our department, it is through the presentation of numerous prizes that each cog in the discipline will be celebrated.

Today, place for the best rugby sevens players in the department. There are three nominees and one of them will try, thanks to your votes, to become the winner of these amateur rugby trophies version 2024. The jury has decided to put three in competition: Florian Jonte, Valentin Bac and Antoine Delpeyroux.

Florian Jonte (GSF)

Florian Jonte is 23 years old, as a child, he discovered rugby in Luzech then in Cahors or as an adult, he will play several roles in a flag team. He chose rugby for its values, its family spirit, a sport which allowed him to grow and learn respect for others. Last year, Florian moved to Figeac for professional reasons, he joined the GSF and became an essential starter at number 15 within the Rouge et Noir. He has been playing rugby sevens for several years now, participating in tournaments with the Seven of Lots association.

Over the years he became more and more involved, playing regularly in his spare time and during the summer. What he particularly appreciates in rugby sevens are the free spaces which allow him to fully express his qualities of speed and support. He wants to continue to evolve with his friends within Seven of Lot, which brings him fulfillment and satisfaction. Florian embodies passion and commitment in the world of rugby, ready to take on new challenges while enjoying every moment on the pitch.

Valentin Bac (Saint-Céré)

Coming from a family passionate about ovals, Valentin Bac, whose father was a player, naturally started playing rugby at the age of 6. He completed his apprenticeship as a rugby player at the “Sang et or” rugby school until his first year as a cadet when he left the Saint-Céréen club for CA Brive. Currently a player in the Brive club's hopeful squad, Valentin, who plays at full-back, has a dual CA Brive/Saint-Céré license. Called up a few years ago for the departmental selection and then for the Seven of Lot team, Valentin discovered rugby sevens.

A discipline that he greatly appreciates. “It's a rugby that offers continuous play. It requires physical qualities and playing hard. The fact of playing rugby sevens during the summer period helps me for rugby XV. This allows me to be in my legs, to work on restarts and forces me to play as fair as possible.” A sevens rugby player within the “Seventies” who participates in Elite tournaments, the Saint-Céréen takes part each year in two or three of the most prestigious sevens rugby tournaments. “I played two tournaments in England in particular” remembers the Lotois who recently discovered golf. “This sport requires a lot of concentration and accuracy, I really got a taste for it,” says Valentin whose dream “is to progress as high as possible.”

Antoine Delpeyroux (Saint-Céré)

Antoine Delpeyroux has a “blood and gold” heart. It's been 21 years, since he took his first steps in the oval at the age of 5, that he has worn the Saint-Céréen jersey. After going through all the categories of the Saint-Céré rugby school, the winger or fullback of the Saint-Céré pennant team, joined the RRNQ (Bretenoux, Saint Céré, Vayrac, Beaulieu agreement) as a cadet then in juniors “where I was champion and vice-champion of Limousin” remembers the person concerned. In 2021, he took his first steps in rugby sevens with Seven Of Lot and played his first sevens tournament in Andorra that year.

“Since then I have participated in at least one 7-a-side tournament every year. I was already watching rugby 7-a-side matches before practicing this discipline which allows me to play rugby even during the off-season. It is a rugby with spaces and which requires a vision that allows me to improve in rugby union. And then participating in tournaments with other players from the department within the Lot team is cool. reminds me of when I was in the Young Lot selection”. Passionate about rugby and sport in general (“I sometimes ride a bike”), Antoine Delpeyroux – who was an educator at the rugby school and the cadet team – wants to “play for as long as possible while experiencing the same pleasure of playing as now”.