A small island with big ambitions

Mauritian encounter: a conversation with Jean-Baptiste Gobelet

How does an island evolve without losing what makes it unique?

He knows rugby pitches well, but above all what they can reveal about a society. A former professional rugby union player, two-time French champion with Biarritz and former France rugby sevens international, Jean-Baptiste Gobelet experienced sport at the highest level before his journey took him from France to the United States, and then to Mauritius.

An island that became far more than a professional chapter. Today, he is actively involved in the development of rugby, founded Academy of Sport Mauritius, and has also built his life here, watching his two daughters grow up on the island.

In Mauritius, rugby has given him a unique vantage point on a country in transition. Because helping a sport grow alongside long-established sporting traditions also means learning to listen, to pass knowledge on and to build without simply reproducing a model imported from elsewhere.

Over the years, his perspective has reached far beyond the touchlines: towards Mauritius’ remarkable ability to make differences coexist, towards a younger generation looking further ahead, and towards the ambitions a small island can choose to carry.

With Jean-Baptiste, we wanted to talk about rugby, of course. But above all about what sport can teach us about the Mauritius of tomorrow.

Portrait of Mauritius

Mauritius in one value?
Openness. An island that is constantly evolving, open to ideas, talent and new projects. Its ability to welcome influences from around the world while preserving its identity is, in my view, one of its greatest strengths.

Mauritius in one emotion?
Serenity. A sense of calm, far removed from the intensity of major European or American cities. Here, I find a balance that allows me to step back and focus on what truly matters.

Mauritius in one landscape?
Le Morne. A fascinating, almost elemental place. A landscape that carries both the power of nature and a profound part of the island’s history.

Mauritius in one word?
Connected. At the heart of the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is a crossroads between Africa, Asia and the Middle East. An island open to the world, where cultures, ideas and opportunities circulate.

You have lived in France, the United States and now Mauritius. What surprised you most about the Mauritian way of life?

What surprised me most is this ability to live together despite differences.

In Mauritius, several cultures, religions and traditions coexist in everyday life without losing their own distinct identities. Each retains its history and its reference points, while still contributing to something shared.

This openness can also be found in professional relationships. Around the same table, you encounter very different backgrounds, references and ways of thinking.

I believe this ability to turn diversity into a collective strength is one of Mauritius’ greatest assets, and probably one of the keys to its development.

Mauritius brings together very different cultures, languages and histories. What does that diversity change in practical terms when working, creating or building a project together?

First of all, it requires a certain humility. You cannot simply arrive with a vision and expect to impose it. You have to allow a shared vision to emerge.

Everyone brings part of their own story, culture and experience, and sometimes a very different way of approaching the same subject. The real challenge is to create the conditions in which those differences are not merely placed side by side, but genuinely enrich the project.

I see this especially clearly in sport. On a field, origins and backgrounds can be very different. But once there is a common objective, diversity stops being something to manage and becomes a collective strength.

→ Discover another side of Mauritius

Rugby was still relatively niche compared with long-established sporting traditions. What does its development say, in your view, about Mauritius’ ability to welcome new influences without losing its identity?

The development of rugby shows precisely that Mauritius knows how to evolve without turning its back on what it is.

We never wanted to import a foreign model and reproduce it exactly. We needed to imagine something that made sense for an island, its population and its realities.

That is also why we developed different forms of rugby — Touch, Sevens, Tens and XV — so that everyone could find an entry point, whatever their age, background or way of playing.

Today, rugby has found its place within the Mauritian sporting landscape. It brings together very different audiences, creates pathways for children from the age of five and also enables Mauritius to host international events.

What I find particularly interesting in this story is that an influence from elsewhere did not simply remain foreign to the island. It was adopted, adapted and then carried forward by Mauritians themselves.

→ Experience the energy of the Mauritius Sevens

When you arrive in Mauritius with an idea or a project, what do you need to understand about the island and its people in order to build with them rather than alongside them?

You have to arrive with ambition. I believe strongly in high standards, in demanding excellence and in a genuine culture of performance. But none of that can be built without understanding the territory you are entering.

You have to take the time to understand its culture, its rhythms and its people. And above all, understand that nothing can replace trust.

Ambition and high standards are not opposed to listening or respect. On the contrary, the strongest projects are those that succeed in bringing both together.

For me, success can also be measured in this way: the best projects are not those in which Mauritians simply become beneficiaries. They are the ones they genuinely want to become part of and help shape.

Looking at the young Mauritians you meet today, what makes you most curious or optimistic about the Mauritius of tomorrow?

I see a generation increasingly familiar with the codes of performance and naturally open to the world.

Young people travel more, are connected to new technologies and have access to references that extend far beyond the island’s borders. But above all, I see them daring to dream bigger.

Our responsibility is to give them an environment in which that potential can fully express itself: through education, sport, discipline, transmission and ambition.

I am convinced that Mauritius has the potential to become a sporting reference, provided we treat youth and sport as genuine investments in the future.

Because ultimately, the size of a territory should never determine the scale of its ambitions.

One last thought

“In Mauritius, I discovered that a small island can carry very big ambitions. The sky is the only limit, provided we have ambition and cultivate a genuine culture of performance.” Jean-Baptiste Gobelet