Dijon, a century-old revival
Last of National last season, the Burgundian club, soon to be a hundred years old, is cautiously approaching its next deadline on the lower floor.
There is always something unfortunate, and frankly paradoxical, in seeing a club last in its title despite some nice shots signed here and there. Take the example of Stade Dijonnais. The Burgundians ended up bottom of the last National championship at the end of a season where they sometimes played spoilsports, possibly having their success at Soyaux-Angoulême (16-20), future promoted to Pro D2, and against Valence-Romans (12-10), third and semi-finalist. Commendable performance but insufficient to avoid on the descent. The law of sport is thus made and has no eyes for the inconstant. Hard observation for this club which launched its “Pro D2 Project” in 2019, with the medium-term objective of an increase. The 2021-2022 financial year saw Thomas Kohler’s players lock themselves in an infernal triangle at the bottom of the table, with Aubenas-Vals and Union Cognac-Saint-Jean-d’Angély. Three days before the end of the regular phase, the trio expected the same number of points and scrambled to avoid the last two places. In the game of musical chairs, only the Charentais escaped, Ardèchois and Burgundians sank. “The players were very disappointed. I saw it come out with tears in my eyes”bitterly recalls Dijon President Philippe Verney.
“War every Sunday”
Consequence of relegation: twenty players left the club. To compensate for the departures, enter the recruits have been formalized. Among them, the pillar of Zimbabwe, Bornwell Gwinji, who recently played the African Cup and the qualifications for the 2023 World Cup with his national team, or the backs Alexandre Odinga and Martin Félix, respectively from Agen and Mâcon. Some experienced men have also chosen to remain faithful to the capital of the Dukes of Burgundy. The South African flanker Khaya Majola, passed by the Southern Kings and the Natal Sharks, extended for one season like Otilo Kafotamaki in the same position (plus one optional). The new commitments of second line Tom Quarrie and three-quarter center Harlon Klaasen until 2024, added to the return of winger Thomas Guigon should now be the workforce.
If Dijon would have dreamed of offering a better exit to their emblematic scrum-half Romain Kusiolek, who retired last May, the club are now turning to the lower division with a keen eye. “We need to get back up as quickly as possible. Our place is in National but the level in National 2 will be high. We are very suspicious. I told the players that they expect it to be war every Sunday”, develops Philippe Verney. Rightly because Pool 1 in which the Rouge et Bleu are reversed includes ambitious formations straight from Fédérale 1, such as Marcq-en-Barœul or Nîmes. “I think there will be at least six clubs that could finish in the top two. All will want to show their qualities against us because we are the team that goes down. Let’s be careful, but that doesn’t prevent us from having ambition.”, ends the President. A return to National would be timely for this club which will celebrate its centenary in 2023. It is up to the Dijonnais to force their destiny.