the essential
Born in Foix, Alain Soula marked the history of rugby in France, with an impressive career, combining sporting exploits, teaching and passion for ovals.
Born in 1947, Alain Soula was a promising rugby player in Fuxé. Like many players, he moved abroad quite quickly and was easily recruited by big names in the oval game.
Half a century of oval passion
It was in Foix, his hometown, that Alain Soula became passionate about this sport and these values: a clever mix of physical challenge and unwavering friendships. “He lived on rue Jacques Dandine in Foix. His dad Michel was a mathematics teacher at the Gabriel Fauré high school and his mom Angèle a teacher,” says a close friend. Alain and I took private mathematics lessons at their home, whose vegetable garden bordered the touchline of the Condamine stadium. A gate made it possible to bring back the ball which fell on the crops. Sometimes USF practices took place on private lesson days. As soon as Alain heard the sound of the whistles, he got up to take a look at the field. His dad’s immediate reaction: “Scum! » This was addressed to both of us. The course was over immediately. »
In 1965, aged 18, he was crowned “best young rugby player in France”, a competition which no longer seems to exist today. Yet he detected individual talents. Under the colors of the USF, he is ahead of Richard Astre, future captain of Béziers and the XV of France. He then joined Narbonne, a team then dominated by the legendary Spanghero and Jo Maso. Change of colors, direction Stade Toulousain, where he played several seasons with Skrela, Villepreux, Martinez, Rives, Bourgarel.
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Change of direction
He does not continue this adventure at the Stadium, favoring his family life. He lands in Rieumes. Alain, a physical education teacher, is assigned to the south of Île-de-France, still driven by his eternal passion for rugby.
Le Plaisir RC (Yvelines) will be its first host club. Coach-player, he led the Ile-de-France residents to a historic rise to the 3rd division. He transferred to Rambouillet (Yvelines), which he led to the 3rd division in 1986, a great promotion in the history of this club.
After a healthy break, he took over the reins of this team, which he led to its first Île-de-France championship title in the 1st series in 1999. Today, he is still in the middle of the oval , occupying the technical direction of the Rambolitans.
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