Top 14 – USAP: Xavier Chiocci and Arthur Joly End Their Professional Careers and Will Play in Fédérale 1
Xavier Chiocci and Arthur Joly, not retained by USAP, will be playing in Fédérale 1 next season. The two pillars have decided to put an end to their professional careers after not being kept on by USAP at the end of the 2023-2024 season. They will be leaving Perpignan to join clubs in Fédérale 1.
Left pillar Xavier Chiocci (34 years old) is set to join XV du Coudon (La Valette-du-Var), which finished 8th in pool 2 of Fédérale 1 where Céret Sportif also plays. Since arriving in Perpignan in December 2021, the Var player has played 54 matches for USAP, starting in 24 of them. Rarely injured, he has always been there when Patrick Arlettaz and Franck Azéma called upon him. Chiocci, a French international 10 times, has also won the Champions Cup three times (2013, 2014, 2015) and a Bouclier de Brennus (2014) with RC Toulon.
On the other hand, right pillar Arthur Joly (36 years old) has signed with AS Layrac, which finished 9th in pool 3 of Fédérale 1. The Lot-et-Garonne club confirmed this information on Tuesday. There, Joly, who has worn the red and gold jersey 46 times, will be taking on the role of player-coach. He is ending a 16-year professional career that included stints at Stade Français, Bourgoin, London Welsh, Agen, La Rochelle, and Perpignan.