Nicolas Acébès is a happy man. After the upset pulled off against Orléans in early November 2025, the Saint-Jean-de-Luz (Nationale 2) three-quarter sat down at the Ruck Zone microphone. A senior figure in the Basque squad, the Boucau native talks through his team’s performances, revels in the Saint-Jean identity and is aiming to qualify at the end of the season.
Nicolas Acébès (30) also opens up about the bond with his brother, Mathieu, a familiar figure in the French rugby landscape. The latter has gone back to Biarritz after spells at Bayonne, Auch, Pau and Perpignan. The two brothers would love to play together one day…
RUCK ZONE – : How do you rate this squad, with its blend of experience and youth?
Nicolas Acébès: It is now eight years that I have been watching how the first team develops at Saint-Jean. There are a lot of local players, a big pool. The youngsters coming through fall into line. You see it during pre-season, during the integration week… They soon get into the swing of it. And that helps us. We need that. It is good to have that core of local players. Without being parochial, it is an identity we respect and one we are going to keep alive.
Keeping the identity alive means carrying on developing young players and bringing them up into the first team?
The club has been working at it since the creation of the CEL a few years ago. It has always been a point of pride at Saint-Jean-de-Luz. It works. So of course, there are a few flat spells in certain years with the first team but that is not necessarily the case with the development side. When there are capable youngsters who want it and get their chance, you have to welcome them with open arms.
What is your role? Are you the quiet type? How would you describe yourself?
I am not a quiet person within the squad. If I start saying that I will get some stick back from my team-mates (smiles). I try to act as the buffer between the pure Saint-Jean lads, the pure products of the Nivelle, of Sare, Ascain… I come from Boucau so I am an outside signing too, from a neighbouring club. But I act as the buffer between the players who came through the club and the new arrivals because I have integrated 100% with this Saint-Jean identity. It has values similar to those I was able to learn at Boucau. I like it and it is very important within a squad. There are others who do it as well.
Against the Orléans ogre in early November, SJLO found a way to win. Were the post-match celebrations lively?
Fairly lively yes, we had a few beers together afterwards. It is good to win and when you do, you have to share it. We have too many memories of losing, when it is no fun at all. Most of the lads were working the next day but we stayed sensible.
Your brother Mathieu has come back to Biarritz. Does he often come to watch you play?
He comes to matches when he is available. He is not far away now. One time he comes, another day I go and watch him. It is important to me because he is my big brother, it makes me happy when he travels over. He tries to come as much as he can. When we have the time, we try to support each other.
What is he like when he comes to watch you play?
Usually cap jammed on, in a corner (laughs) and without making much noise. You do not hear him, then afterwards we do a debrief on each other’s good or bad performances (laughs).
Playing in the same jersey, you and your brother, do you ever think about it?
We say it to each other when we are larking about. We would love to do a season together. With Mathieu, you must not forget that he is 38, that rugby is more behind him than ahead of him, and he is aware of that. Even if he is in shape, performing and having a great time at Biarritz. Of course, as the little brother, I would love to do a season with my big brother. And so would he, I think. Then again, when you have spent 20 years in professional rugby and you have to start again in Nationale and get wound up every weekend because you are Mathieu Acébès… Maybe he does not fancy it. Will it ever happen? I do not know.
I see myself as a player with nothing exceptional about him, not in pace, not in technique, not in kicking, not in attack or in defence, but if mentally you manage to get the better of your opponent, to knock him off his game
Nicolas Acébès, centre or wing for SJLO
Mathieu’s character is well known. How would you describe yourself compared with him?
We all know Mathieu, we know what he is like, he is on television (smiles). It is not hard to know what he is like. We have similar character traits. Through the will to win, that is above all what drives us. The mental side, which is still a bit of a free space in rugby today. I see myself as a player with nothing exceptional about him, not in pace, not in technique, not in kicking, not in attack or in defence, but if mentally you manage to get the better of your opponent, to knock him off his game… I try to lean on that.
What are your ambitions personally and with your club?
The pool is very even. Obviously, we want to qualify. We are competitors. Anyone who tells you he wants to fight for survival… It is because the table says that is where he has to be. Except that at the start of the season, nobody wants to be playing for that. We would like to qualify and personally, it is about playing as many matches as possible, enjoying myself. We are very competitive amateurs, who want to go toe to toe with much more professionalised clubs like Orléans for example. Of course we want to go as far as possible, to play more matches and experience as much emotion as possible. That is our own goal.
Comments