INTERVIEW. “Training rewarded”, smiles Thierry Sourbets, president of US Nérac, before the final stage of Fédérale 3

How do you feel as we approach these long awaited final stages in Nérac?

Last Friday, in training, I told the players: enjoy these joys, it will not happen every season. To qualify both teams is fantastic. At the start of the season, this goal was set even when they went through the playoff box. But honestly, I didn’t think we were going to have it both ways. This is the result of all our training work, since the Nérac rugby school. In the entire senior squad, there must be only 5% of the players who have not been trained at USN. These final stages are therefore a great reward.

We tend to say that the final stages are the wages of volunteers and managers…

It’s wonderful for everyone. We have 30-35 volunteers who fight for the club, and give their time generously. I also reminded the players of this. These final stages are the reward for everyone who works for you. I also do not forget the work done by managers and partners, such as providing funds to take a hotel the day before the return match in Rivesaltes.

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Do you feel the glow rising in Nérac?

For now, it’s pretty quiet. Nevertheless, 200 yellow and black supporters were in Villeréal on Sunday to encourage the reserve team! I think these 32nd finals will be the real trigger.

On the other hand, USN does not play its match in Duprat during the Nérac festival. We imagine some regrets…

Yes, it didn’t matter because we ended the season with the same number of points as Rivesaltes. Only a 10-point difference in goal average separates us in the national ranking and forces us to Catalonia on 5 May. It’s a shame, playing in Nérac during the Christmas break would have been a fantastic achievement for the season. We lost this opportunity during our last championship game, at La Réole, by returning empty-handed.

The project that you have carried out for several years bears fruit anyway.

I’ll say it again, this is the reward for our training. Rugby school, cadets, juniors, women… It’s a global project. We have insisted on training, for example by paying for training for our teachers, even if it means reducing the budget for seniors. And all our teams have results.

At the same time, you also work with your partners. Because even among amateurs, money remains “the sinews of war”.

This year we have created Table d’Henri, which is also found in Marmande, Layrac and Casteljaloux. This is important for our partners. During pre-match meals at the stadium, it’s mostly festive. There, during our meetings, there is a business – professional marketing side that interests them. It works well, some people are interested in joining us.

Who says final stages, necessarily says possible promotion to Federal 2.- Have you started to anticipate it?

When I became president I did not hide it: my goal was to move up to Federal 2. All the leaders agree on this. We had built a three-year project to get there. After two we are in the 32nd final. Of course, nothing is certain. And if the players had to validate the climb in these final stages, I wouldn’t deny it. It will then be up to us, managers, to find new partners and a few players to strengthen the team.

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What do you think should be USN’s place on the French rugby scene?

If we want to work properly in Albret, with two very close clubs (Lavardac-Barbaste and Mézin), Nérac must develop in Fédérale 2 in my opinion. For Federal 1, we do not have the structures or the sufficient industrial and commercial fabric. The town hall is doing everything it can to help us, but it is sometimes difficult to develop our 400 rights holders in our structures at the moment. We must therefore work on this as a priority, by installing the club in Federal 2.

To conclude, what message do you want to convey to those who follow the USN before the start of these final phases?

To continue ! You have to support the players. To them I ask them to show a beautiful image of Nerac rugby during these games, that people are proud of their teams and their training. If the opponent is stronger, we accept defeat. But we must enter the pitch with fury to win!