It’s an incredible story that is coming to an end. US Montauban will recover, during its trip to the capital and Racing 92, its Pro D2 champion shield, stolen during the month of September.
It’s a crazy story that’s coming to an end. The Pro D2 champion’s shield raised last June by Montauban during its victory for the accession final against Grenoble (24-19), will not have remained in the possession of the now residents of the Top 14 for very long. Indeed, during festivities during the month of September, the 29 kg shield, which was exhibited in an agricultural fair not far from Montauban, was stolen.
However, it was never found… and it was therefore necessary that a new shield be made, as Jean-Baptiste Fourcade, communications manager for US Montauban, explains in comments reported by Rugbyrama: “Whatever happens, we had to give something back to the League at the end of the season. So, we ordered a new shield when its loss was made official. » Following this unfortunate event, the Tarn-et-Garonne prefecture undertook to cover the manufacturing costs of the new shield which amounted to 18,000 euros, excluding taxes.
The shield recovered this Saturday
It is therefore on the sidelines of this Saturday’s match on the Racing 92 pitch that Jean-Baptiste Fourcade is expected to collect the shield for a meeting planned at Paris La Défense Arena with the National Rugby League, for a proper delivery, in person. “It’s a bit like our Christmas present that we gave ourselves early and which will come back on time!” We are still happy to find it and to be able to make the Montalban residents benefit from it again,” said the communications manager when mentioning recovering the shield.
A return home for the end of the season for the shield, which has something to delight scrum half Maël Castel, especially in a difficult period for the club, currently penultimate in the Top 14: “I didn’t know he was ready and that we were going to get him back this weekend. It’s perfect for the holidays! Even if it’s not much, mentally, it can do us good to see the shield again. It can allow us to remember the results of last season and everything we managed to do by all standing together. If we were able to move up to the Top 14, we are able to achieve our new objective which is to maintain. »
