En quest of their 20th championship title, and redemption in the Challenge and European Cup, the Huskies say they are ready to take on any challenge.
This won’t reassure their opponents, nor those who are tired of their supremacy: the Huskies still have hunger. The 2026 season, which marks their 40th anniversary, is one of a new era: a made-in-Japan recruitment, young French talents to reinforce the pack. But it is also one of continuity, one of an intact desire to win everything within reach. « It’s the DNA of the Huskies, and we all have it in our skin, » says coach Quentin Becquey, who is starting his third season at the helm of the French champions. Neither he, nor his players, nor the directors are jaded. They even have the two consecutive first-round failures in the French Challenge and the home ½ final defeat in the European Cup in the back of their minds. So, they keep it in a corner of their memory, and they prepare themselves not to relive the same misfortunes. « When we move on to a new season, everything is new again. We want to win the Challenge and the European Cup this year, » says Becquey.Building, to win. It’s a virtuous circle, we write a new page, and we know that there is still a lot to accomplish, « analyzes the coach.
The players resumed training at their own pace, each benefiting from the flexibility of the Academy structure, some as early as October, while others, caught up in their professional occupations, joined a little later. But the workload has gradually increased, with « competition at every position, which gives everyone the desire to start things seriously and to progress, » rejoices Becquey.
He will have a fairly new team under his orders. While the heart of the group remains built around Blondel, Brainville, Harrison, Bert, and young players – like Lebouc last year – will continue to join the team, Rouen has chosen to innovate in foreign recruitment. No more the Venezuelan and American channels, the Huskies turned to Japan, on the recommendation of their former pitcher.Chikari Igami. Two pitchers, Yui Taido, a lefty who played in the independent professional league, and Rysusuke Ito, who played last year with the Quebec Capitals, a catcher, Kento Megumi and a powerful hitter, who is expected to play a decisive role in Rouen, the outfielder Roysuke Nishikawa, who played in the Chiba organization. There is some uncertainty, but also a lot of hope that this quartet will play a decisive role this season. And then, a novelty, the Huskies went to find young Frenchmen with a very promising profile: Arthur Saumande from Toulouse, an excellent outfielder, capable of rendering services on the mound, Matteo Pierre from La Rochelle, the n°1 hope in France at the catcher position, Théo Rioux from Savines, who returns to his native Normandy. « We recruited them because they showed a strong desire to join us. They are gamers, they have technical and sporting skills that fit perfectly into our way of seeing baseball, » says Quentin Becquey.
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Sept nouveaux, c’est beaucoup, mais cela compense aussi plusieurs départs, bien sûr ceux des étrangers (d’ailleurs, MacKenzie a retrouvé un club en Allemagne), mais aussi ceux de Dagneau (retraite), Mercadier (qui rejoint une ligue indépendante au Canada) et Laval-Quesney, attiré par Montpellier. Ces deux derniers départs peuvent amener à se poser des questions sur le monticule rouennais. Coach Becquey ne semble pourtant pas en perdre le sommeil. Il avait déjà perdu son Ace en cours de saison dernière, alors, il sait comment faire. « Oui, l’absence de ces deux joueurs va peser. Mais on a récupéré deux lanceurs étrangers de qualité. Et puis Esteban Prioul est en excellente forme, Kenny Esposito va nous rejoindre à l’issue de son cycle universitaire, Arthur Magnien va continuer à progresser ».
L’autre incertitude concerne le poste d’arrêt-court. Là où tant de grands noms se sont succédé au fil de l’histoire. Coach Becquey a fait le parti de la continuité avec le jeunemy name is written on the plaque, so it’s a good feeling. I’m proud of the team, proud of the coaching staff, proud of the club. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. It’s a good feeling to be recognized for the work we do. ItBut above all, it is the result of a collective effort, of the players, the staff, the technical council. «
