A first big match in the history of RC Suresnes. The Mont Valérien club, which has just celebrated its 50th anniversary, is playing this Saturday, at 7:30 p.m. in Tarn, its very first final phase of the National Championship, the 3rd division of French rugby. David Auradou’s players, 5th in the regular season, challenge SC Albi, 4th in the final ranking, on their home turf in a direct elimination play-off match.
“Qualifying for the final stages was the objective stated at the start of the season,” recalls Auradou. We would have preferred to play at home, but we will make do. » Faced with “a great team from Albi, but which experienced disillusionment last weekend” (beaten by Nice and out of the top 2, synonymous with direct qualification in the semi-final), the Suresnes manager expects to “a big fight in front of the Albi public, with intensity for 80 minutes. »
But the former Stade Français international second row knows his players are capable of achieving an away feat with this former Top 14 resident. “We have achieved several away performances this season. We lost in Albi (34-12) but we were very undisciplined, remembers Auradou. We have been warned. I hope there will be a sequel to this match. We want to go further and continue to gain experience.”
Match to follow live in Suresnes
In the event of victory, the Suresnois will qualify for the semi-final, against Nice, leader of the season, next week. The other semi-final will pit Narbonne against the winner of the play-off between Carcassonne and Chambéry. Then the two finalists will meet again on May 18. The winner will be crowned French National champion and will move up to Pro D2, the unfortunate finalist will have a second chance to move up by playing an accession play-off against the 15th in Pro D2.
The road to the climb is still long but Suresnes has earned, on the ground this season, the right to try its luck. “That’s the beauty of the final stages, everything is possible,” relishes David Auradou. There are a few injuries, but Albi too is the lot at the end of the season.”
For this decisive match, RC Suresnes thought of its supporters. Very few will make the long trip to Albi. But it will be possible to follow the match on the big screen live at the Peña Suresnoise, the large RCS club house at the edge of its Jean-Moulin stadium, on the heights of Mont Valérien. See you at 7:30 p.m. Saturday for this historic evening.
