You have until October 1st to vote online on the website of La Dépêche du Midi (www.ladepeche.fr) to elect the best male and female amateur rugby players from Ariège. They will be rewarded during a ceremony organized in Saverdun on October 12th. Let’s focus on the Fédérale 3 players.
Mathieu Sentenac (UA Saverdun), l’emblème
Mathieu, 31 years old, plays as a flanker for UAS. He has been the undisputed captain of the Red and Black team for several seasons. Mathieu is the epitome of the player that every club dreams of: versatile, diligent, sociable, and possessing a good amount of leadership. He can play in any position in the back row, and even in the center where his speed surprises many. His ability in set pieces, especially in lineouts, is also part of his skill set. Mathieu has been with Saverdun’s rugby school since the beginning and has never left the club. In fact, for him, it is and will always be his beloved club. It is unimaginable for this flanker to take his experience elsewhere. « When you feel good somewhere, you stay there. »
Mathieu has experienced ups and downs in his 12 years as a senior player, but that doesn’t mean he had any intention of leaving. The downs were the relegation from Fédérale 2 to Fédérale 3, and he was the captain. « It wasn’t my first time as captain, but I remember the last match of the relegation. Éric Mercadier made me captain, and I remember it a little bit (laughs). » The ups were the promotion to Fédérale 2 in 2011 with his brother Florent, and the playoffs in 2019, « incredible. Just like last season, even though we were eliminated in the first round. It was a crazy season. We played young players and won everywhere, it was great. My passion outside of rugby was fishing. But since I have my daughter, Camille, I enjoy spending time with my family, going for bike rides, taking walks… »
There was a time in rugby when the older players were considered the « fathers » of the younger ones. Mathieu had several of these figures who influenced his rugby youth, such as Guillaume Lacoste, Pascal Pol, Vivian Pons, Wilfried Pedoussaut, and Florent Soulet. All of these « fathers » were part of the great names of UAS. Now, it’s his turn to become the « father » of two rugby boys, Alexis Lassalle and Lucas Pol. « I see myself in them in the way they play, just like when I was young. I’m not their ‘father’ because I have nothing to teach them. But if I had to choose, it would be them! »
Sa phrase fétiche : « 1,2,3 UAS ».
Nathan Massat (UA Saverdun), le bon vivant
At 27 years old, Nathan is a key player for UAS, both on and off the field. He is capable of playing in the positions of first and third-line center. With his charismatic and determined personality, Nathan is a passionate and dedicated rugby player who demonstrates great impact. He brings pride to his father and uncles, who are also UAS players and highly involved in the club’s activities, having won the French championship title in 2022.
Since the age of 5, Nathan has been a part of the Saverdun rugby school and has been a member of the Red and Black team for 22 years. « The only thing I did was get dual licenses because my younger brother left Saverdun to play elsewhere and I wanted to play with him. UAS is the heart club of the Massat family. Nathan’s father was the champion of France Excellence B Fédérale 3 in 1995 before his son followed in his footsteps in 2022 with the title of champion of France Excellence B Fédérale 3. « It’s the same shield but with a difference between him and me. » When Nathan arrived in the senior team at Saverdun, he immediately got involved in the Amicale and dedicated his time to organizing trips and events for the players, alongside Mathieu Sentenac. « It’s enjoyable to stay in Saverdun for the friends, the team, and also the rugby results. We try to pass the torch to the younger players for the Amicale, but it’s complicated as no one wants to take over. »
La pétanque est une de ses passions hors rugby mais pas que. Nathan Massat adore faire la fête, à tel point qu’il s’est fait tatouer sur le bras la devise : « J’aime la bringue ». Nathan nous certifie qu’il n’est pas près d’arrêter sa carrière et qu’il est prêt à continuer tant qu’il y aura une bonne bande de copains. « Si je devais être le papa d’un joueur, ce serait celui de Mathias Rouzeaud ».
Favourite phrase: « We start strong and then we accelerate! »
Adrien Lacoste (UA Saverdun), l’acharné
Adrien represents the success of the rugby training at Saverdun and, despite his young age (21 years old), he has already established himself as a key player in the red and black first team. Affected by a knee operation that kept him out for most of 2021-2022, his mental strength and unwavering commitment allowed him to be part of the French champions’ journey in 2022 and lift the shield. It must be said that Adrien has been immersed in the world of rugby since a very young age, around 4 years old. « My whole family has been influenced by the world of rugby. I used to go to rugby to play with my friends. »
La passion ne l’a pas quitté. Talonneur ou 3e ligne aile, Adrien est un solide coéquipier. « J’ai toujours aimé jouer devant. J’aime l’engagement. » Il a le cœur rouge et noir. « Depuis quelques années, l’UAS est redevenue l’UAS. C’est un club familial. » Cette saison, il veut mordre dans chaque match qu’il aura la chance de passer sur la pelouse. Sérieusement blessé, il a su se faire violence pour revenir à temps sur les terrains. « Les entraîneurs de la réserve m’ont contacté et j’ai ainsi pu participer à l’aventure du titre. » Agriculteur, Adrien est aussi un amoureux de la nature. La chasse, la pêche lui permettent de s’évader. « J’aime tout ce qui se rapporte à notre territoire. »
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