Dax

One to watch: Nicolas Vergallo

- 2008/9 Season Preview -

Club Details

US Dax Rugby Landes

Stade Maurice Boyau

Boulevard des Sports

40100 Dax

Stadium Capacity: Maurice Boyau 15 000

Website: www.usdax.fr

Founded: 1904

Last time around: 13th Dax should, for all intents and purposes, have been relegated at the end of last year. Some wayward accountancy at Albi saved them however as the Tarn club, who finished fourteen points clear of Dax, got the axe instead. The season got off to a terrible start with the loss of coach Marc Lièvremont, who took over the reigns of the national team. Dax managed only six wins all year, although their pack often had more-fancied opponents in trouble.

This time? It's tough to see Dax avoiding relegation. They have new coach, and a handful of very good recruits but in comparison to the other clubs in France they still lack the firepower needed at this level. The back-line needs some serious refurbishment. Italy full-back David Bortolussi has been called in to close the backdoor but will have some stiff competition for the number fifteen jumper from Maxime Petitjean, who arrives from Brive.

Coach: Thomas Lièvremont, one of Dax's best players last year and brother of the departed Marc, has swapped the captaincy for the role of Head Coach. An inspirational figure, Lièvremont is a natural leader of men, but has a massive task on his hands in his first season as a coach to keep his club in the top flight.

One to watch: New Argentina scrum-half Nicolas Vergallo joins Pumas team-mate Horacio Agulla in France and should be able to put the Dax pack's power to good use.

Final 2008/9 league position prediction: 13th

In: Laurent Mazas (coach), David Bortolussi (full-back, Montpellier), Jannie Bornman (loose forward, Plymouth Albion), Maxime Petitjean (full-back, Brive), Joël Koffi (loose forward, Béziers), Jimmy Jaen (hooker, Montpellier), Mickaël Bert (lock, Montpellier), Nicolas Vergallo (scrum-half, Rosario), Neumi Nanuku (wing, Castres), Laurent Marticoréna (centre, Castres), Federico Martin-Aramburu (wing, Perpignan), Lucas Borges (wing, Treviso)

Out: Horacio Agulla (wing, Brive), Rudolf Berek (lock, Mont-de-Marsan), Hore (fly-half, Viadana), Sébastien Roqué (centre, retired), Grégory Tutard (wing, retired) Jean-Philippe Coyola (coach, Bayonne), Guillaume August (Tyrosse).

Colours: Red and white

Travel connections:

By train: Stade Maurice Boyau lies about 1,5 km from the train station (in Saint-Paul-lès-Dax). Take Avenue Saint-Vincent-De-Paul and turn left, crossing the river on Rue du Cap Dou Poun then turn right to Boulevard Paul Lasaosa. Boulevard des Sports and the stadium are on the right.

By air: The closest large airports are in Biarrtz and Pau, both of which are serviced by various airlines, including Ryanair and Easyjet.

By car: From Biarritz and Bayonne take the N10 to Bordeaux, then the N124 to Dax.