The Stado Tarbes Pyrénées Rugby is starting a new era with a trio at its helm, composed of Fabrice Laffont, Philippe Mansieux, and former Tarbes player and international player: Dries Van Heerden.
These are new faces that will be in charge of the future of Stado TPR as Michel Ridou, president of the Association for many years, decided to step down following a meeting with the board of directors last Friday. It was a choice he had carefully considered as he had expressed his desire to “take a step back.”
On Thursday evening, the board of the Stado Tarbes Pyrénées Rugby Association officially noted the resignations of Michel Ridou, president, and Patrice Ruzé, secretary-general.
In a peaceful and constructive atmosphere, the board proceeded to elect the three co-presidents.
A trio with Dries Van Heerden at the helm In addition to the two interim co-presidents, Fabrice Laffont and Philippe Mansieux, president of the Stado-TPR rugby school, a third man joined the Association’s leadership on Thursday evening: Dries Van Heerden.
The former Stado flanker and former international player in the French national team had previously held positions at the club, such as in 2012 when he was appointed as a sports manager to assist Philippe Bérot and later as a sports coach.
This appointment also seems to be an attempt to reconnect with the club’s illustrious past, as former players had previously been somewhat sidelined.
Standing at an impressive 1.96 meters, Dries Van Heerden (65 years old) was known for his relentless running, tackling, and ball skills, excelling in various positions in the pack. He quickly gained recognition and likely became one of the most accomplished players in Stado’s history, alongside Dintrans, Janeczek, Maleig, and others. A finalist with Stado in 1988, a year after leaving his native South Africa, the Tarbes-born player earned his first cap for France in 1992.
A project in Federal 3: “critical weeks” All cards are now on the table to “manage the end of the season and prepare for the next one. The upcoming weeks will be critical for the future, with several meetings planned between the club’s historical partners and local officials. Pascal Claverie, mayor of Tarbes, will organize these discussions and has assured us of unwavering support,” according to the new presidency of Stado-TPR.
Following an audit of the SASP, the club’s flagship team was relegated to Federal 3. The association (Asso) of the Tarbes club is now also at risk due to a deficit of over €300,000, which, if not resolved, could lead to the disappearance of Stado-TPR.
Fortunately, there have been positive signals in recent days, particularly from a former main partner who pledged to do everything possible to save the training center before the June 30 deadline, the deadline for financial closure with the French Rugby Federation. “We have time, and I am confident that we will succeed. There is no possibility of the association going bankrupt. We will ensure the training center continues.”
While there is still a significant challenge ahead for the new leadership, it marks a fresh start for Stado, aiming to perform well in Federal 3 next season. As no appeals were made to the CNOSF to potentially move up a division.
