A first of its kind in Saint Quay Portrieux (22) on Saturday 13 December, the Ligue Régionale de Bretagne delivered with its first gala evening, held under the high patronage of Abdelatif Benazzi and Jordan Roux, vice-presidents of the FFR. The chance to properly celebrate the committee’s 100 years with the local legends.
For one evening, Saint Quay Portrieux was the beating heart of Breton rugby. Abdelatif Benazzi, an FFR official but also a vice-president of World Rugby, was moved by it: “It was a success under exceptional sunshine. Ever since I put the date of this centenary in my diary, I, who was born in the desert and live in the south-west, had packed a heavy jacket to go to Brittany, but I arrived in a tee-shirt. I knew that exceptional work has been done for practically five years now, with 50% more registered players.”
The evening was a chance to pay tribute to a great many people, to those who have made and still make the game. “Honestly, there was a lot of emotion. I knew that moments like that in amateur rugby are far more focused on the human side. They are far more fraternal, you see people with 50 or 60 years of membership behind them crying in front of you as they are handed their federal medal.”
It was 6pm when the celebration got under way. Honour to the builders and to the champions: after the traditional presentation of the Ligue and federal medals to the officials and volunteers
of the clubs rewarded by the Ligue and the FFR, as well as the moving Coq d’Or awarded to Jacques Brisoux for his life’s work, the evening took on a more solemn tone with the presentation of the Trophées d’Honneur. Brittany knew how to celebrate its giants, starting with Jean-Noël Spitzer.
The iconic RC Vannes coach, described as “the man of every campaign”, received an ovation to match his journey, having guided the Morbihan club from the amateur jousts to the bright lights of professionalism.
In the same line of leaders of men, Alexandre Gueroult, the historic REC Rugby captain, was honoured, the “Rennes warrior” saluted for his two French championship titles, in Fédérale 1 and Nationale 2.
“Everything was there, everything came together. And yes, truly a celebration in the local colours, right down to the symbol of those trophies, which were innovative but made with local materials, granite powder, Breton wood, and then a young local entrepreneur who had produced his own unique creations. We wanted to give another dimension to an annual event we care a great deal about, the presentation of the Federation and Ligue medals. And then the idea of this gala evening to mark the hundred years of the Ligue and the creation of the Brittany committee imposed itself”, explains the president of the Ligue, Fabrice Quénéhervé. “We have been working on it for three years.” A success, with 150 guests.
Excellence in the women’s game was also in the spotlight. It was Anne-Sophie Demoulin, a member of the FFR’s strategic steering committee and president of Stade Rennais Rugby, who was given the job of handing the trophies to two top-class ambassadors: Caroline Drouin (30 caps) and Lénaïg Corson (34 caps), two exceptional careers.
The (almost) final word to Abdelatif Benazzi: “The great rugby family was gathered together, there is nothing to add. Everyone wants rugby to keep doing better and better in Brittany, more pitches, local authorities more involved… The messages were passed on. The Federation’s congress will be here, in Brest, in July, we will be back in force.”
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