Rugger Girls: Part 24. The final chapter

2000s: VIVIAN AND NATHALIE

24th and final chapter of the summary of the history of women's rugby in France, from the book "Rugger Girls"("Des Filles en Ovalie"), written by Jacques B. Corti and Yaneth Pinilla Foreword by Serge Betsen. Published weekly(ish) by French women's rugby blog Des Filles en Ovalie.

After going back to Bourg in 2001 to lead the Violets, Viviane Berodia also encountered a new game. She worked for the Post Office as well as being a first division coach. This could be a good combination, and consistent with the history of generosity and altruism that had typified women's rugby. But times change.

She said by the time she left she was facing  problems which involved envy, jealousy over the outcome of trials and failure to achieve international selection, and a lack of passion. "Honestly, I do not blame the effort that was being put in. But when the players are put into good conditions, they are spoiled. Its the same as the boys: they want more but do not invest more. "

As it was not so long ago in rugby male, the shadow of "shamateurism" began to revolve around the women's rugby today. Clubs [in 2006] were increasingly going all-out to recruit with offers of jobs and apartments.

"We will have a championship first division where there will be two or three clubs of a very high level against others who will not be able to compete in either means or as a game" is a concern we begin to hear. Elite coaches had already entered in this phase. Some were already being paid.

Despite the uncertainties in the background, Nathalie Amiel who had played throughout the period we have studied, was more positive. One again there was the question of commitment. "I realized that if I wanted to help women's rugby," she said, "I had to get my Brevets d’Etat (national coaching diploma)." In 2002 she ended her playing career in 2003 and passed  her diploma with distinction. After this she began to train at Saint-Orens. "It's not for the FFR that I did all this. It was for girls. To give back what I experienced. When I get tired, I can shut the door, knowing that I owe nothing to anyone", said the iconic character who can not help thinking aloud about relations between the FFR and women's rugby:

"Does it really interest them? "

Extract from the book "Des Filles en Ovalie", Editions Atlantica (2005), Written by Jacques Corti / Yaneth Pinilla, Foreword by Serge Betsen.