Le plus grand paradoxe du rugby français
C’est une petite phrase lourde de sens lâchée par le président de la Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR), Florian Grill : « nous sommes le 2e sport français en termes de médiatisation, mais le 10e en termes de licenciés ! », s’indigne-t-il dans les colonnes du Midi Olympique daté du 19 février.
On l’a vu avec la Coupe du Monde de Rugby 2023, les matchs ont régulièrement battu des records d’audience. Dans le monde entier, France 2023 a été la Coupe du Monde la plus regardée de l’histoire. En France également.
Pourtant, les chiffres démontrent que cette ultra médiatisation ne s’est pas encore traduite en termes de licenciés. Il faut dire que les chiffres consolidés n’ont pas encore été publiés et qu’il est encore trop tôt pour parler d’un éventuel effet Coupe du Monde que chacun attend avec impatience.
Derrière le kayak
Des chiffres officiels dont on dispose remontent à 2022 et ils n’étaient pas super bons. Le rugby se classait alors 10e des sports les plus pratiqués en France avec 303 048 licenciés (deux fois moins que l’équitation !), juste derrière… le canoë-kayak et ses 316 366 sportifs. Il est fort à parier que la crise sanitaire n’était pas étrangère à cette stat.
Car l’année suivante, la FFR annonçait déjà une hausse de près de 7% pour arriver à un encore timide 324 326 licenciés (chiffres consolidés 2022).
Dans le détail, quatre régions seulement concentrent les deux tiers de licenciés : l’Occitanie (69 000 licenciés), la Nouvelle-Aquitaine (62 000 licenciés), l’Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (51 000 licenciés) et l’Ile-de-France (34 210 licenciés). Le rugby ne représente que 4% des licenciés des fédérations unisport olympiques en France.
Nul doute qu’avec la fantastique exposition donnée par France 2023 l’automne dernier, puis celle olympique qui sera offerte par Paris 2024 l’été prochain, ce chiffre sera largement dépassé dans les mois et années à venir.
Pour la fédération française de rugby, cet objectif doit être le cœur du débat et non pas l’échange de pics et coups bas qui se poursuit entre personnes aigries depuis un moment.
Le président Florian Grill, pas encore en campagne pour une éventuelle réélection, l’affirme : « Il faut absolument que le rugby se régule et qu’il arrête d’alimenter cette bulle qui nous tue. Nous ne sommes pas le foot et nous ne voulons pas l’être », dit-il en évoquant la course en avant des dépenses.
L’exemple du salaire du deuxième-ligne
« A toutes les échelles, quand un club investit sur le salaire excessif d’un deuxième-ligne, il le fait au détriment de son école de rugby, de ses cadets, de ses juniors… », explique-t-il.
« Notre sport doit se reconstruire à partir de bases saines et renflouer ses clubs en licenciés, investir dans le scolaire, la formation, les équipes féminines. »
L’année de la première Coupe du Monde de Rugby organisée en France en 2007, on comptait 278 634 licenciés. L’année suivante, ce chiffre avait bondi à 363 073. Mais l’âge d’or serait 2015 avec ses 438 144 licenciés, alors que, sportivement, le France était au plus bas. Voilà le vrai record à battre.
Comments on RugbyPass
> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
2 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
1 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
6 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
2 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
6 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
16 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
6 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
3 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Could the victim do a course to reverse the long term CTE damage from the cheapshot?
2 Go to commentsTruely great player. In social media and opinion pieces he was held up and flogged for the results. People wanted someone to crucify, and he was the captain. He was still an immense presence respected by his peers. His battles with Siya Kolisi belong up with with Collins vs Burger in my opinion. Unlucky to be carded in the final, but I don’t agree that his red card was the defining moment. Not when you look at the dominant performances of the Springboks (PSDT in particular.) I think Cane should be remembered for the spirit and physicality that is special to test rugby.
16 Go to commentsSam was the man until he got injured .
16 Go to comments_Crusaders versus Leinster _at the moment might be a rout! But I would like to see the Blues play Toulouse, the Hurricanes front up against Stade Francais, and the Chiefs go against Toulon.
157 Go to comments