Français
The regular season of the men’s senior championship came to an end last Saturday for the Saint Barth Barracudas with a 42–7 loss on the road against the Saint Martin Archiballs. The result did not affect their final standing in the regular season, as they finished in 4th place. Here’s a look back at their season leading up to the playoffs.
With 3 wins and 5 losses, the Saint Barth rugby team secured the 4th and final qualifying spot for the 2025-2026 playoffs. Significantly revamped and rejuvenated last summer, the Barracudas’ roster experienced mixed fortunes throughout the season in a tight Elite league where no team managed to remain undefeated.
“In a single game, anyone can beat anyone this season,” argues sky-and-white captain Gauthier Périguet. He continues: “This season, we played with a lot of new players making their senior team debuts... game after game, they gained experience, which is positive for the future.” ” The Saint Barth captain also points out that: “As for the schedule, we had breaks with several weeks without games at times. In terms of consistency and finding our rhythm, it’s not always easy. With all that, our results have been a bit up and down… but ultimately, so have the other teams’.”
For example, after losing by 50 points on the Bruc field in Les Abymes in mid-January, the Barras bounced back two weeks later in the Northern Islands derby in Saint Jean, outscoring the Archiball of Saint Martin by nearly the same margin. Results have been inconsistent and often depend on the available roster: “We have a solid roster, but we have to deal with injuries, guys who work, and family commitments,” explains Paul Bessières, the assistant coach. “It’s tough to have a full squad on the road, even for a derby. We’re often missing at least two or three guys.” ” The return leg of this Northern Islands derby, played last Saturday, was no exception to the rule, but it still allowed “substitutes who were itching to play to show that we could count on them,” according to Paul Bessières.
Now, the upcoming semifinal is set to take Gauthier Periguet’s teammates to Gosier to face Good Luck. The red-and-white club, three-time defending champion, has just added the TAG 2026 to its list of titles. “They’ll be playing at home, which is an advantage, but with our full roster, we can give anyone a run for their money. We know that,” sums up Paul Bessières.
Last December, during the first leg in Saint-Jean, the Gosier team’s victory (17–36) was a long time coming, and the Barras remained in contention despite adverse circumstances: “We lost our lineout thrower and our best jumper one after another to injury in the first half,” explains the former scrum-half. “So we couldn’t do anything in terms of lineout battles… As for the semifinal? We’ll do everything we can to have a full squad on May 23. ” “We’re going to play this playoff semifinal for the fans who cheer us on and all the volunteers—the ones who spend so much time on the club. They’re incredible; I’ve never seen a club like this. They do everything to make sure we have the best possible conditions to play,” concludes captain Periguet. On May 23, all of Saint Barthélemy will be behind its rugby team.
