The future of French rugby is not on the land

The future of French rugby is not on the land. He prepares in seminars and working groups that the national rugby league (NRL) since last September. The goal: prevent the potential of a sport which is professional for eleven years excesses and the problems posed by the cohabitation between the life of the clubs and national teams. So many simple but vital questions, that the leaders and members of the NRL arose early in season at Biarritz, without waiting for the onset of the economic crisis, and to which they responded yesterday in a Steering Committee held in Grenoble. Wages, inflation in the number of foreigners among the players and calendar are the three main themes of reflection of an institution that has the wisdom to anticipate its development from lucid observations. "We were victims, last season, a calendar truncated by the World Cup, with as a result a decrease of hearing television of 23 on Canal , Editor's note, the"posters masquerades"by sending B teams for matches European Cup or the France team, Editor's note, and a game narrow which displeased the audience.". "It must regain our credibility," explained seven months to the "Echos" Arnaud Dagorne, the Director General of the League. This is are added or perpetuated of more structural problems: since 2003, the salaries of the players have more that doubled, to a monthly average of 10,000 euros, and in ten years, the number of foreigners in the Top 14 rose from 5 to 40. If the fees of the Rugby remain far removed from those of their counterparts of the round ball (45,000 euros of monthly average in League 1), inflation is real. The compensation of 25,000 euros per month are more rare, and some stars are approaching the peaks of football: according to "The team", the New Zealander Dan Carter would have been providing 700,000 euros for a season in Perpignan (that belies the League, which has the copy of the contracts...) and the next season, Racing Metro 92, goes back in the elite, have proposed to Sébastien Chabal, in "Le Parisien", more than 800,000 euros of annual salary.

The best wages in the world

For foreigners, the phenomenon is linked to the fact that the French clubs offer the best salaries in the world. "Wages are 30 higher than in the southern hemisphere", stated Pascal Forni agent at the 2007 world. Even the English, who have them also a dynamic professional Championship, are now tempted by the crossing of the English channel, as the icon Jonny Wilkinson, approached by Toulon. "There are now 35 of foreigners in the Top 14 and Pro D2, and was even seen a match, Toulon-Brive, with only 2 English on the ground," said Arnaud Dagorne.

High wages, host of Foreign stars: to caricature, the Top 14 is Rugby the English Premier League football. Is there a report with the poor current third XV of France performance of the last Six Nations tournament, similar to that of the eleven national English "It cannot do this comparison, protested Arnaud Dagorne, but one thing is certain, there is less room for young players, and the clubs training centres are empty at the moment."

The calendar problem is posed by the fact that the International Rugby Board requires clubs three courses of preparation for the international year. During the season, 4 meetings of the Blues, especially during the tournament, are duplicate with Championship matches. This night the sports interest, but also to the broadcaster, which sees the clubs deprived of their stars.

Complex problems

As often with rugby, these questions are difficult to untangle. To wages, one might think that the overall growth of the budget of the teams, this season ( 20, to EUR 270 million), compensates for the increase in remuneration. But it is not reasonable to build sponsorship contracts, representing 60 to 70 of the budgets in times of crisis, on a continuous progression. Without saying so, the leaders of the League also fear that wealthy investors who come to the clubs, as Mourad Boudjellal, who has made a fortune in the edition of comic books, in Toulon, Jacky Lorenzetti, founder of Foncia, Racing Metro, or even yet Daniel Derichebourg Brive, destabilize the economic of the Pro D2 to the Top 14 model. They would like to see that investment go in perennial infrastructure rather than in a sporting arms race.

The question of foreigners is not simple. Many clubs are in the call to confirmed players from the major countries of the rugby one easier to wait until the outbreak of young local talent. "It must be said also, explained Arnaud Dagorne, as the clubs lights, as Toulouse and Paris, hire the best French, which dries out the market and directs the clubs second abroad."

The calendar, except to despise the France team or to change the formula for the Championship, to do with the current situation.

In the end, the French pro rugby must finely manage its growth. While maintaining master assets such as the exponential popularity of discipline that overlaps the uplift of the hearings on Canal : 660.000 viewers on average. The last Toulouse-Paris, aired in prime time on Sunday night, even approached 1 million, according to "The team". Be almost half as much, only that the "clasico" PSG - OM (2.3 million). As a comparison, recall that the encrypted string pay only EUR 25 million per year for the Top 14 against 460 million for the Ligue 1. Step two times, but 20 times more!