AS Monaco Rugby: 60 years of history, ambition and, above all, a family atmosphere
The extended AS Monaco Rugby family celebrating its 60th anniversary © AS Monaco Rugby
On the weekend of 22 and 23 March, the Monegasque club celebrated its 60th anniversary at the Prince Héréditaire Jacques stadium in Beausoleil. It was a festive event that brought together several generations with a shared passion for rugby, and marked an important milestone in the history of a club with strong ambitions.
For AS Monaco Rugby, celebrating 60 years of existence was more than a simple commemoration. It was a time for sharing and handing down between generations who have worn the red and white shirt, but also an opportunity to measure how far the club has come, and imagine how far it can go!
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The weekend will remain etched in the club’s supporters’, players’ and members’ memories, with festivities befitting the occasion, crowned by two fine victories for the first and U-21 teams.
A unique club on the Côte d’Azur
“AS Monaco Rugby is truly a unique club,” explains Sylvain Masson, the club’s general manager. He arrived in the Principality eight years ago, and after having been a player and then a coach, he has held his current position for four seasons, working alongside the Club Chairman Thomas Riqué.“I’ve seen it from the regionals right up to today in the Fédérale division. It’s always been a unique club, one that opponents look forward to meeting. Every time we have an away match, Monaco is treated differently to the other clubs.”
This translates into constant but positive pressure on the team. “We have to be very competitive in every game, home and away. There are no easy matches, because everyone wants to put in a good performance against Monaco. For us, it’s a challenge every Sunday. We have a very sound squad. We’re very careful in terms of recruitment, because we want to remain a family club. Some find the ASM shirt a bit heavy to wear,” continues Sylvain.
A history with many milestones
The club’s history has seen a number of key moments since it was founded in 1964. With the likes of Profeta, Nardi and Tolosano as Presidents, Monegasque rugby has played in different divisions. “In 2002, the team made it all the way up to Fédérale 3. But as it was unable to keep up its performance, the senior team was put on hold in 2003. Then the club took off again around twenty years ago. The senior team was promoted several times in the space of a few years, all the way to the ‘Honneur’ division,” says the manager.
A recent and crucial event was getting back to Fédérale 3. “I started out when we were in the Honneur division, then we moved up to Fédérale 3 with the territorial shield, which we won against Morillon.”
Gradual but ground-up structuring
One of the major turning points in the club’s development was securing a proper home ground. “When I arrived, we played our home matches in Menton, and sometimes on the side pitches in Nice,” explains Sylvain. “When we got our first home pitch in the hills above Monaco, at the Prince Héréditaire Jacques stadium in Beausoleil, it really changed our lives, it’s a great tool.”
The facility was further developed recently: “Last year, the Club House arrived, and the weights room. In terms of structuring the club over the last few years, we’ve really come on in leaps and bounds.”
Real sporting ambitions
The structural improvements have given rise to results on the pitch. Currently in Fédérale 2, the first team came agonisingly close to promotion last season: “We missed going up by a whisker on one last play. We could have gone up to Fédérale 1 last season.”
Sylvain Masson believes ambition is part of the club’s identity. “There’s a phrase I use a lot. I always say that it’s in Monaco’s DNA to be ambitious, and I think it totally fits its image and what we want to achieve at AS Monaco Rugby.”
Genuine princely support
Monegasque rugby receives considerable support from the Prince and Princess of Monaco. “Prince Albert II has a great love of sport. He is always pushing in that direction. We feel really supported, as well as by Princess Charlene who works a lot with the Federation of which she is President, but also with her charity, the Princess Charlene Foundation. A lot of things are being done for rugby in Monaco,” stresses the former player.
That special relationship was particularly evident last season: “We were fortunate to have the Prince come and see us last year for the final phase match against Saint-Priest. He arrived quite a while before the match, and stayed well after it. We had a great day with the Sovereign, who witnessed a fine victory.”
Unique coordination between the three Monegasque rugby bodies
One of the distinctive features of rugby in Monaco is the interaction between three distinct entities: AS Monaco Rugby (rugby union), the Monegasque Federation and Monaco Rugby Sevens (professional 7-a-side rugby). “There’s a natural connection,” says Sylvain. “We wanted to work together, hand in hand, because everyone benefits. If the XV team is promoted, it will raise the level across the board, it will benefit the federation as well as MR7.”
“Also, for example, the club’s president is also MR7’s general practitioner. And AS Monaco Rugby’s U19 coach is also the MR7 coach, Fabien Camin. Plus we have players from the ASM XV who have taken part in MR7 promotional tournaments, open tournaments at lower levels. There is total coordination between the three bodies,” says Sylvain.
A memorable anniversary, a torch passed on
The 60th anniversary celebrations were particularly moving for Sylvain. “It was a really satisfying day because there is a real history here, a strong Monegasque entity that has been created over the years. We’re proud of that and we need to keep it going.”
A black collector’s shirt with a diagonal stripe in Monaco’s colours was created specially for the occasion. There was also a moment of intergenerational bonding during the event. “We did a shirt presentation before the match, with former players, in pairs, handing the shirts to each of the 22 players. I was proud to see all those past players, who have worn our colours, all pushing together for the first team to win. There was a torch passed on between the generations on the day.”
Over a hundred people enjoyed the huge paella organised for the occasion, a symbol of the family dimension that the club is keen to maintain despite its professional ambitions.
Sights set on the future
With the end of the season fast approaching, the first team is preparing for the final phases with the ambition of being promoted to the Fédérale 1, while the U-21 team, 6th in the league, is also aiming to qualify for the French Championships this season.
At the same time, the club is continuing to develop the training aspect, in particular through its Rugby School, with the annual highlight being the Kids Cup, scheduled for 3 and 4 May.
“It’s fundamental for us. We want these youngsters from the Rugby School to be part of the first team one day,” says the manager. “Today, we have a number of players who trained at Monaco and who are part of the senior squad. In the future, it’s a real objective to be able to supply even more.”
Over its 60-year lifetime, AS Monaco Rugby has built a strong identity, combining sporting ambition with a family spirit. The club is now looking to the future with the aim of climbing to national heights, while preserving its principles. “We have values at Monaco that we have defended for years and that we must manage to preserve. We’re giving our all to structure the club and make it to Fédérale 1, that’s the most important thing,” says Sylvain Masson in conclusion.