Before the First World War, rugby was so popular and successful in Nantes that sports clubs who initially had no experience of rugby were forced to offer it as an option in order to remain attractive to their members. “That is why our ancient and famous gymnastics club La Nantaise, to name just one, created a rugby team which would very quickly become one of our best regional teams, all because the club understood the danger of not following current sports trends,” explained Le Phare de la Loire. Starting in 1911, La Nantaise offered an introduction to rugby at the Parc du Grand-Blottereau, which was free for club members. The club was therefore able to establish two teams.
Véloce sport nantais (VSN), founded in 1892, the aim of which as defined in its legal description was to ‘develop the usage and popularity of the bicycle” also offered rugby as an option to its members, starting from the 1912-1913 season. The following season, it had three teams lined up to compete against those of the SNUC.
The legal descriptions of the five new Nantes-based clubs dedicated exclusively to playing rugby were published in 1913. “The football association has not been granted the status it should, given its particular and special qualities”, wrote a Le Phare de la Loire journalist regretfully in October 1913. He went on to explain this was because of the ‘fascination’ exerted by rugby on "our young local athletes”.
Rugby was no longer the prerogative of the urban bourgeoisie, and the increase in club members paved the way for a big increase in the number of people playing the game too. Players from a great variety of professions would meet each other on the rugby pitches of Nantes. Their commitment to the game during matches was hugely important to the spectators who would come every Sunday to watch.
Translation: Tilly O'Neill
