Saturday January 11, the president of the FFR Florian Grill visited one of the smallest clubs in France, Olympique Minervois, agreeing to sweep away all the Rugby topics of the moment.
We pinch ourselves. But no, it’s not a mirage. It is indeed the president of the French Rugby Federation who stands in the center of the new hall of the Olympique Minervois in Caunes-Minervois, around thirty licensees in full swing (Regional 3). Has Florian Grill lost his way? No, no, still not. Because finding him there is a bit like attending a Michel Sardou concert in Antugnac… “If one day I had been told that I would meet the president of the French Rugby Federation in Caunes-Minervois…”exclaimed Jean-Louis Cung, the new president of the Aude committee during the meeting.
He accepts it and claims it Florian Grill. Rugby is not just in Toulouse or Montpellier. It is also in Caunes-Minervois, 1,500 inhabitants. In all the Caunes-Minervois of France. So this weekend the boss of French rugby packed his bags, like Michel Sardou going on tour, heading south to meet the base, the popular oval field. Friday in Hérault, Saturday in Aude and Tarn, and Sunday in Tarn-et-Garonne. Jealous people? Florian Grill will go anywhere.
If one day I was told that I would meet the president of the FFR in Caunes…
“I divide my weeks between my company (CoSpirit Groupe, marketing and media consulting agency, Editor’s note)Marcoussis, and my travels in the region. It’s always like that. If we don’t do this, we will cut ourselves off from the amateur world, which would be terrible. I love going to see our 14 French teams, I even take immeasurable pleasure there, but it’s not just them.” insists the president of the FFR in the middle of the little hands of Olympique Minervois, between two mini-apple turnovers quickly swallowed. “We must relaunch the practice of rugby from the grassroots”, he concluded learnedly.
What we realize immediately is that Florian Grill is at ease in this universe. He greets the audience on familiar terms, hugs the mayor of Caunes Ludovic Barlaud and the vice-president of the Department Alain Giniès, kisses the young ladies and ladies and smiles at the sight of the dozen empty pastis bottles ingeniously arranged on the heights of the kitchen area.
Why Caunes and not Saint-Just-et-le-Bézu? It was certainly on the advice of his very close friend Joël Castany, new president of the Ligue Occitanie, that he stopped off in Caunes-Minervois, unless it was the new president of the Aude committee Jean-Louis Cung who gave him the idea… Because in Caunes, the club is under reconstruction, there is a project, a thought embodied by the very young (26 years old) president of Olympique Minervois, Alexandre Rouch. That, among other things, of relaunching the rugby school.
New licensees… Quick!
Getting the kids to join in: that’s Florian Grill’s favorite thing. He has repeated it over and over since his arrival at the head of the Fédé in June 2023. “In France, there are 13,000 football clubs and 2,000 rugby clubs… The figures speak for themselves. We are the second, or even the first, media sport in this country and we are only 9th or 10th in terms of licensees. We cannot continue like this. notes the boss of French rugby. A concrete tool to remedy the problem: the national tournament of neighborhoods and countryside. “We take rugby to the foot of buildings and into the hearts of villages. The clubs organize 1,150 rugby mornings with the aim of recruiting new people. We must get back into the habit of picking up the children. Pick them up because some would like to register, but they cannot find local solutions within 10 km, we divide the number of licensees by three. This is why we must stop with too large gatherings, there are up to 9. clubs, it’s not possible and how do you expect a single cadet team to support 9 senior teams?
It must be said that the Federation purchased 35,000 oval balls so that in each school (National Education) in France, children could practice discipline.
“The most accessible sport”
It’s Florian Grill who proclaims it: “Rugby is a social issue. If there were more rugby, society would be better off. This sport is essential to society. Rugby is first and foremost respect, also loyalty, team spirit. Rugby doesn’t just transform the tests, it also transforms people. Everyone who has played rugby knows that we are no longer the same afterwards… We are left speechless by the absence of links. … We bring it, rugby is the first rural federation after hunting We must think of rugby-education, rugby-citizenship, rugby-adapted, rugby-health which, for example, women who have undergone breast cancer practice as part of their rehabilitation Rugby, apart from tackling. is the most accessible sport for everyone.”
A factor in returning to employment
Always with the idea of remaining at the heart of society, the French Rugby Federation organizes job dating. With France Travail, clubs and financiers, businesses or local authorities. “We take 100 long-term job seekers, 20 companies that are recruiting and we organize a morning of rugby in anonymity, like incognito bosses. We give them a snack… Return to employment rate? 60% within three months”assures the president of the Federation.
Business, drugs, alcohol…
The Blues’ summer tour in Argentina left its mark. Just like the disappearance at sea, on August 7, of Medhi Narjissi off the coast of Cape Town while he was on tour with the French under-18s in South Africa… “I never avoid any subject. You have to be able to talk about everything. Alcohol problems, drug problems, because these are not problems directly linked to sport, they are social problems and rugby is part of society. As for the disappearance of Medhi Narjissi, it is a tragedy. Note that, as during the fall tour, there will be no third half during the Tournament, according to Florian Grill’s wish.
“Magic” fall tour
Three matches, three victories, against Japan (52-12), New Zealand (30-29) and Argentina (37-23). Full box. “This tour was a great success. I am especially thinking of the match against the Blacks at the Stade de France, of this incredible Haka. Of this official scenography which was seen and appreciated all over the world. It was an incredible, magical moment . I also liked the attitudes, the state of mind of the players, of our Blues. The results satisfied us.
The objective? “Win it all”
“First, let’s be clear, Fabien Galthié and his men have no need for me to set objectives to motivate themselves and finally achieve them. But yes, I, like everyone at the Fédé, like the coaches, the players, we wants to win everything. Starting with the 2025 Six Nations Tournament. We will do everything in any case, with three trips to England, Ireland and Italy, it will not be easy, but we know what we have to do. “
XV and XIII hand in hand?
The departmental elected official Alain Giniès, a certified 13-year-old, couldn’t help himself. “Will the FFR agree to set up a partnership with the Federation of XIII?” Response from Florian Grill: “I am not excluding anything. We have quite a few priority projects, such as the recovery of our accounts, but I am never against meeting people. I would like to speak with the president of the XIII, Dominique Baloup.”
“Final phase matches in villages like Caunes-Minervois”
This is the wish of the president of the Occitanie League, Joël Castany: “Organizing final phase matches in small villages. Regional final phases, let’s be clear. When you live on the side of the highway, it’s one thing, off the beaten track, it’s something else . Rugby must help bring life back to the territories.”
We’re just old fools (laughs)
Joël Castany also wants to create youth councils within the League. “Young people need to be able to judge young people, for example. In the League, we’re just old fools”conclude the story.
