After rising into the top 14, Oyonnax Rugby reveals ambitions to remain within the French rugby elite
Oyonnax Rugby reveals its ambitions. A team that has been promoted to the top 14 after winning the Pro D2 championship this season wants to do everything they can to try and stay in the French rugby elite. “It’s good to go up, but you have to stay there,” said its president, Dougal Punjabullah.
Increased budget, stable workforce and work on the pitch: Promoted to the Top 14, Pro D2 champions Oyonnax Rugby intend to be ready for the demands of the elite he finds after five years of agony and where he intends to maintain and then stabilize. “Height is good but you have to stay there. There is a sporting part and another economic part. We will have the smallest budget at 17 million euros compared to 11 million euros last season, which was the most important in Pro D2, for a conference,” President Dougal Punjabullah said Wednesday. Press, the sixth salary scale that will rise from 4.5 million euros to 6 million euros.
He added the manager, who indicated that Club de l’Al Ain was committed to a three-year plan that began last season. According to Dougal Punjabullah, Oyonnax’s ambition is also to become a “club of the Grand Est”, a region that includes the departments of Ain, Jura, Haute-Savoie, Savoie and even part of Switzerland.
A group of 45 players
On the sporting level, Englishman Joe El-Abd remains a coach and will rely on a group of about 45 players who will remain stable, always relying on a large part of the locally trained elements. To cement this solid core, Oyonnax has already recruited five players: pillar Ali Oz (Racing), second row Ewan Johnson (Vanes), New Zealand half-half Jonathan Roroux (Aix-Provence), center Lucas Mensa (Mont-de-Marsan) and full-back Maxime Salles (Montoban). ). Four more are expected to follow.
The Haut-Bugey Club will also be working on the 11,500-seat Charles-Mathon stadium in order to improve the reception areas as well as lighting, which is already planned anyway.
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