RC Toulonnais
Encyclopedia
RC Toulonnais is a French
professional rugby union
club based in Toulon
in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
. A current participant in the first-tier Top 14 competition, they have won the national competition on three occasions.
Established in 1908, Toulon currently play their home games at the Stade Mayol
, although they have begun to take high-profile matches to the 60,000-seat Stade Vélodrome
in Marseille
, playing one match there in 2008–09 and two in both 2009–10
and 2010–11
. The club colours are red and black. Toulon were Pro D2 champions in 2005, but after finishing 14th in the 2005-06 Top 14 season, they were relegated back down. After signing a number of high profile players, the club made a strong run at promotion in the 2006–07 season
, and succeeded in their promotion quest in 2007–08
, winning that season's Pro D2 crown with two rounds to spare. They struggled to avoid relegation for much of the 2008–09 season, but a late-season surge brought them to ninth place and safety. Their 2009–10 season was more successful, with a second-place regular-season finish and a semifinal place domestically and a runner-up finish in the European Challenge Cup
.
. It took the club 23 years to reach the top of French rugby, when they won the 1931 championship against Lyon Olympique Universitaire (6–3, 2 tries to 1). The players were greeted by 30,000 people when they returned from Bordeaux
, where the final had been held, and the town went crazy for several days.
Toulon remained one of the top French clubs, but they lost four consecutive finals scattered over 35 years (1948, 1968, 1971 et 1985). The 1985 extra-time defeat by Stade Toulousain
left them with a lot of regrets, and playing in the most spectacular final ever (36–22) did nothing to alleviate the pain of losing. The Red and Black only waited two more years to finally lay their hands on the Bouclier de Brennus, as they defeated Racing
at the Parc des Princes
. The third title came in 1992, against Biarritz Olympique
, in Serge Blanco
’s last match and last chance to win the title.
For eight years, Toulon was not particularly successful and were in heavy financial trouble (a 10 million franc deficit) forced the Ligue Nationale de Rugby to demote them to the Second Division in July 2000. The club missed an immediate return the next year, going down in the final to Montauban
, as only one club was promoted that year. It took them five more years to do so as RCT went on to win the Pro D2
title. Unfortunately, despite immense popular support (gates averaged more than 12,000), and a lot of enthusiasm, they only managed to win three games out of 26 and were relegated after only a season.
A new president, Mourad Boudjellal
, a born-and-bred Toulonnais who made his fortune in the comic strip
business, promised to build a huge team. He said: "I invented the Top 15, with a team that could be competitive in the Top 14”. He signed a high number of first-class players, some of them well above 30, like Jean-Jacques Crenca
, Yann Delaigue
, Gonzalo Quesada
and Dan Luger
. He created a lot of buzz around the team as he managed to sign former All Blacks
captain Tana Umaga
, who arrived in Toulon right after the end ot the Air New Zealand Cup on October 26, 2006. The contract was rumoured to be around €300,000 (£200,000), which Boudjellal claimed to pay from his own pocket, for only 8 to 10 matches. In a 2010 interview, Boudjellal would say about his decision to pursue Umaga, "It was incredible, because we were in the second division and I was speaking with the best player in the world. But he said yes and came to play with Toulon."
Boudjellal continued to sign high-profile veteran players, including captain and all-time international caps leader George Gregan
, reportedly paid €400,000 out of Boudjellal's pocket, All Blacks' all-time scoring leader Andrew Mehrtens
, and Jonny Wilkinson
.
Back in Pro D2
for the 2006–07 season, Toulon finish fourth in the league, putting them in the promotion playoffs for a place in the Top 14, but they lost in the promotion semifinals 21–17 at La Rochelle
. The following season Toulon headed the table from early on, never dropping from the top spot on their way to clinching promotion with two rounds to spare. The 2008–09 season proved to be one of consolidation. Umaga had been handed the coaching reins, but as Boudjellal would later say, "The first season in the Top 14 was very difficult and I learned that Tana Umaga was not yet ready to give up playing – and that he's not a manager." The team managed to survive that season, using a late-season surge to avoid a relegation scare. Toulon had a much more successful 2009–10 campaign, with Wilkinson leading the charge. He would be named the top fly-half of the year in France by leading rugby publication Midi Olympique, and would also be recalled to the England national team. Domestically, Toulon finished second on the league table, losing out to Perpignan
for the top spot on a tiebreaker. This finish gave them a spot in the 2010–11 Heineken Cup, and also a first-round bye in that season's Top 14 playoffs. Toulon's domestic campaign ended in the semifinals with a 35–29 extra-time loss to eventual champion Clermont
in Saint-Étienne
.
Toulon's Amlin Challenge Cup
campaign proved even more successful. They finished top of their pool and advanced to the knockout stage, crushing Scarlets 38–12 in the quarterfinals at Stade Mayol and surviving a hard-fought match against Connacht
in Galway
19–12. The win over Connacht meant that Toulon would get their preferred final venue of the Vélodrome on May 23, where they lost to the Cardiff Blues
28–21, missing out on silverware for the season.
, a flower people traditionally exchange on May 1 in France. He pinned it on his lapel, his concert was a success and Mayol, who was superstitious, made the lily-of-the-valley his personal emblem. It was taken up by the rugby club in 1921.
was inaugurated. It is named after Félix Mayol
, a very popular concert hall singer from Toulon
who had succeeded in Paris in the early 20th century. Shortly after World War I, he purchased what would be the stadium site and donated it to the club. It is one of the few French stadiums to be almost completely surrounded by the city and overlooks the Toulon bay and military harbour in the Mediterranean.
Matt Giteau
Matt Henjak
Luke Rooney
(Australia, rugby league) Steffon Armitage
Dean Schofield
Simon Shaw
Jonny Wilkinson
Gabiriele Lovobalavu
Mathieu Bastareaud
Sébastien Bruno
Alexis Palisson
Sébastien Tillous-Borde
Davit Kubriashvili Damien Tussac
Christian Loamanu
Carl Hayman
Rory Lamont
Bakkies Botha
André Pretorius Joe van Niekerk
Eifion Lewis-Roberts
(from
Brumbies) Willie Mason
(from
Hull KR
) Jone Tawake
(from
Narbonne
) Steffon Armitage
(from London Irish
) Simon Shaw
(from London Wasps
) (medical joker) Seva Rokobaro (from Aix-en-Provence
) Mathieu Bastareaud
(from Stade Français) Julien Dumora (from Pau
) Romain Frou (from La Rochelle
) Alexis Palisson
(from Brive
) Sébastien Tillous-Borde
(from Castres
) David Smith
(from Western Force
) Bakkies Botha
(from
Bulls) André Pretorius
(from Lions) Eifion Lewis-Roberts (from Sale Sharks
) Greg Davies
(from
Dunvant RFC
)
(to Stade Français) George Smith (to 
Panasonic Wild Knights) Joe El-Abd
Tom May (to Northampton Saints
) Paul Sackey
(to Stade Français) Romain Barthélémy (to Albi
) Benjamin Bastères
(to Aix-en-Provence
) Clément Marienval (to Brive
) Mehdi Merabet (to Oyonnax
) Pierre Mignoni
- Retiring, Coaching Thomas Sourice
(to Aix-en-Provence
) Fotu Auelua
(to NTT Shining Arcs
and later Brumbies) Saimone Taumoepeau
(to Castres
) Rudi Wulf
(to
North Harbour
and Blues) Gavin Henson
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
professional rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club based in Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur or PACA is one of the 27 regions of France.It is made up of:* the former French province of Provence* the former papal territory of Avignon, known as Comtat Venaissin...
. A current participant in the first-tier Top 14 competition, they have won the national competition on three occasions.
Established in 1908, Toulon currently play their home games at the Stade Mayol
Stade Mayol
Stade Mayol is a multi-purpose stadium in Toulon, France. It is currently used mostly for rugby union matches and is the home stadium of RC Toulonnais. The stadium is able to hold 13,700 people....
, although they have begun to take high-profile matches to the 60,000-seat Stade Vélodrome
Stade Vélodrome
The Stade Vélodrome is a football stadium in Marseille, France. It is home to the Olympique de Marseille football club of Ligue 1, and was a venue in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2007 Rugby World Cup. It is the largest club-football ground in France, with a capacity of 60,031 spectators,...
in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, playing one match there in 2008–09 and two in both 2009–10
2009–10 Top 14 season
Stade de France was listed as an alternate home for Stade Français because the club hosted five of their 13 home matches this season at the national stadium. Similarly, Stadium Municipal was listed as an alternate home for Toulouse, who normally play two Top 14 matches a year at that facility...
and 2010–11
2010–11 Top 14 season
The 2010–11 Top 14 competition was a French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby . Home-and-away play began on August 13, 2010 and continued through April 2011. The regular season was followed by a three-round playoff starting in May that involved the top...
. The club colours are red and black. Toulon were Pro D2 champions in 2005, but after finishing 14th in the 2005-06 Top 14 season, they were relegated back down. After signing a number of high profile players, the club made a strong run at promotion in the 2006–07 season
2006-07 Rugby Pro D2 season
The 2006-07 Rugby Pro D2 is a French rugby union club competition. The season runs alongside the 2006-07 Top 14 competition, which is the highest club competition. At the end of the season, Auch were champions and thus automatically promoted to Top 14. They were eventually followed by Dax who beat...
, and succeeded in their promotion quest in 2007–08
2007-08 Rugby Pro D2 season
The 2007-08 Rugby Pro D2 was a French rugby union club competition. The season ran alongside the 2007-08 Top 14 competition, which is the highest club competition. Both competitions were operated by the Ligue nationale de rugby ....
, winning that season's Pro D2 crown with two rounds to spare. They struggled to avoid relegation for much of the 2008–09 season, but a late-season surge brought them to ninth place and safety. Their 2009–10 season was more successful, with a second-place regular-season finish and a semifinal place domestically and a runner-up finish in the European Challenge Cup
2009–10 European Challenge Cup
The 2009–10 Amlin Challenge Cup was the 14th season of the European Challenge Cup, the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from six nations in European rugby. It started on 8 October 2009 at Sixways Stadium in Worcester with Worcester Warriors hosting Montpellier, and ended with...
.
History
Rugby Club Toulonnais was founded on June 3, 1908 as a merger of Étoile Sportive Varoise and members of the Stade Varois, a club based in nearby La Seyne-sur-MerLa Seyne-sur-Mer
La Seyne-sur-Mer, or La Seyne is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is part of the agglomeration of Toulon, and is situated adjacent to the west of this city.-Economy:...
. It took the club 23 years to reach the top of French rugby, when they won the 1931 championship against Lyon Olympique Universitaire (6–3, 2 tries to 1). The players were greeted by 30,000 people when they returned from Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, where the final had been held, and the town went crazy for several days.
Toulon remained one of the top French clubs, but they lost four consecutive finals scattered over 35 years (1948, 1968, 1971 et 1985). The 1985 extra-time defeat by Stade Toulousain
Stade Toulousain
Stade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps...
left them with a lot of regrets, and playing in the most spectacular final ever (36–22) did nothing to alleviate the pain of losing. The Red and Black only waited two more years to finally lay their hands on the Bouclier de Brennus, as they defeated Racing
Racing Metro 92 Paris
Racing Métro 92 is a French rugby union club based in suburban Paris that was formed in 2001 with the collaboration of the Racing Club de France and US Métro. "92" is the number of Hauts-de-Seine, the département of Île-de-France, bordering Paris to the west, where they play, and whose council...
at the Parc des Princes
Parc des Princes
The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed...
. The third title came in 1992, against Biarritz Olympique
Biarritz Olympique
Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque is a French professional rugby union team based in the Basque city of Biarritz, Aquitaine which competes in the Top 14 and the Heineken Cup...
, in Serge Blanco
Serge Blanco
Serge Blanco is a former rugby union footballer who played fullback for Biarritz Olympique and the French national side, gaining 93 caps, 81 of them at fullback. His alternative position was wing....
’s last match and last chance to win the title.
For eight years, Toulon was not particularly successful and were in heavy financial trouble (a 10 million franc deficit) forced the Ligue Nationale de Rugby to demote them to the Second Division in July 2000. The club missed an immediate return the next year, going down in the final to Montauban
US Montauban
US Montauban were a French rugby union club, which competed in the Top 14 competition between 2007 and 2010, after being promoted from Rugby Pro D2 for the 2006-07 season...
, as only one club was promoted that year. It took them five more years to do so as RCT went on to win the Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
title. Unfortunately, despite immense popular support (gates averaged more than 12,000), and a lot of enthusiasm, they only managed to win three games out of 26 and were relegated after only a season.
A new president, Mourad Boudjellal
Mourad Boudjellal
Mourad Boudjellal is a French businessman, the proprietor of comic publisher Soleil Productions.He was born on 5 June 1960 in Toulon, France. He is currently the President of the Toulon Rugby Union club.-References:...
, a born-and-bred Toulonnais who made his fortune in the comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
business, promised to build a huge team. He said: "I invented the Top 15, with a team that could be competitive in the Top 14”. He signed a high number of first-class players, some of them well above 30, like Jean-Jacques Crenca
Jean-Jacques Crenca
Jean-Jacques Crenca is a French rugby player.Crenca was born in Marmande, Aquitaine. He played for SU Agen before moving to RC Toulon for the 2006/07 season. He was a member of France's 2003 Rugby World Cup squad playing at prop....
, Yann Delaigue
Yann Delaigue
Yann Delaigue is a retired French international rugby union player.He earned his first cap with the French national team on 19 March 1994 against Scotland in a Five Nations Championship match that ended in a 20-12 victory.-Notes:...
, Gonzalo Quesada
Gonzalo Quesada
Gonzalo Quesada is an Argentine rugby player.-Biography:He was born May 2, 1974 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He won 39 caps playing at Fly-half for the Argentinian rugby union side between 1996 and 2003. He made his test debut at the age of 22 against the United States the 14 September 1996. He won...
and Dan Luger
Dan Luger
Daniel Darko Luger MBE is a former English rugby union international who was a member of the squad that won the Webb Ellis Cup in 2003.- Club career:...
. He created a lot of buzz around the team as he managed to sign former All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
captain Tana Umaga
Tana Umaga
Jonathan Ionatana Falefasa "Tana" Umaga, ONZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. He played for the Hurricanes starting with the Super 12's inception in 1996 and took over the captaincy in 2003...
, who arrived in Toulon right after the end ot the Air New Zealand Cup on October 26, 2006. The contract was rumoured to be around €300,000 (£200,000), which Boudjellal claimed to pay from his own pocket, for only 8 to 10 matches. In a 2010 interview, Boudjellal would say about his decision to pursue Umaga, "It was incredible, because we were in the second division and I was speaking with the best player in the world. But he said yes and came to play with Toulon."
Boudjellal continued to sign high-profile veteran players, including captain and all-time international caps leader George Gregan
George Gregan
George Musarurwa Gregan AM is an Australian rugby union halfback who has made more appearances for his national team than any other player in the sport's history....
, reportedly paid €400,000 out of Boudjellal's pocket, All Blacks' all-time scoring leader Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Philip Mehrtens MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, currently playing in France for Béziers, a club in the third-level Fédérale 1 league...
, and Jonny Wilkinson
Jonny Wilkinson
Jonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players...
.
Back in Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
for the 2006–07 season, Toulon finish fourth in the league, putting them in the promotion playoffs for a place in the Top 14, but they lost in the promotion semifinals 21–17 at La Rochelle
Atlantique Stade Rochelais
Stade Rochelais is a French rugby union club who compete in the Pro D2. They are often known simply as La Rochelle.They were founded in 1898 and play at Stade Marcel-Deflandre . They wear yellow and black...
. The following season Toulon headed the table from early on, never dropping from the top spot on their way to clinching promotion with two rounds to spare. The 2008–09 season proved to be one of consolidation. Umaga had been handed the coaching reins, but as Boudjellal would later say, "The first season in the Top 14 was very difficult and I learned that Tana Umaga was not yet ready to give up playing – and that he's not a manager." The team managed to survive that season, using a late-season surge to avoid a relegation scare. Toulon had a much more successful 2009–10 campaign, with Wilkinson leading the charge. He would be named the top fly-half of the year in France by leading rugby publication Midi Olympique, and would also be recalled to the England national team. Domestically, Toulon finished second on the league table, losing out to Perpignan
USA Perpignan
Union Sportive des Arlequins Perpignanais or Unió eSportiva Arlequins de Perpinyà , generally abbreviated as USAP in both languages, is a French rugby union club that plays in the city of Perpignan in Pyrénées-Orientales. The club currently competes in the Top 14, the top level of the French...
for the top spot on a tiebreaker. This finish gave them a spot in the 2010–11 Heineken Cup, and also a first-round bye in that season's Top 14 playoffs. Toulon's domestic campaign ended in the semifinals with a 35–29 extra-time loss to eventual champion Clermont
ASM Clermont Auvergne
Association Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne are a French rugby union club from Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne that currently competes in Top 14, the top level of the French league system, ASMCA are the were the 2010 France Top 14 Champions. It is the rugby section of the multi-sport club...
in Saint-Étienne
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard is a multi-purpose stadium in Saint-Étienne, France. It is used primarily for football matches, and tournaments such as the 1984 European Football Championship, the Football World Cup 1998 and the Confederations Cup 2003. It is also used for rugby union, and was a venue at...
.
Toulon's Amlin Challenge Cup
2009–10 European Challenge Cup
The 2009–10 Amlin Challenge Cup was the 14th season of the European Challenge Cup, the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from six nations in European rugby. It started on 8 October 2009 at Sixways Stadium in Worcester with Worcester Warriors hosting Montpellier, and ended with...
campaign proved even more successful. They finished top of their pool and advanced to the knockout stage, crushing Scarlets 38–12 in the quarterfinals at Stade Mayol and surviving a hard-fought match against Connacht
Connacht Rugby
Connacht Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Connacht that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 comprising teams from the Celtic nations plus Italy. Normally, it also competes in the second-tier pan-European club competition, the European Challenge Cup...
in Galway
Galway Sportsgrounds
Galway Sportsground, also known as The Sportsground, is a multi-purpose stadium in Galway, Ireland. It opened in 1927, with the playing of a soccer match...
19–12. The win over Connacht meant that Toulon would get their preferred final venue of the Vélodrome on May 23, where they lost to the Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
28–21, missing out on silverware for the season.
Emblem
On the day of his arrival in Paris, on May 1, 1895, just before his first concert, Félix Mayol was met by a female friend at the station, who gave him some lily-of-the-valleyConvallaria
Convallaria majalis , commonly known as the lily-of-the-valley, is a poisonous woodland flowering plant native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia and Europe....
, a flower people traditionally exchange on May 1 in France. He pinned it on his lapel, his concert was a success and Mayol, who was superstitious, made the lily-of-the-valley his personal emblem. It was taken up by the rugby club in 1921.
Stadium
In 1920, its stadiumStade Mayol
Stade Mayol is a multi-purpose stadium in Toulon, France. It is currently used mostly for rugby union matches and is the home stadium of RC Toulonnais. The stadium is able to hold 13,700 people....
was inaugurated. It is named after Félix Mayol
Félix Mayol
Félix Mayol was a French singer and entertainer.-Career:Mayol was born in Toulon, France. His parents were both amateur singers and actors, who arranged for Felix to make his debut stage at six years of age....
, a very popular concert hall singer from Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
who had succeeded in Paris in the early 20th century. Shortly after World War I, he purchased what would be the stadium site and donated it to the club. It is one of the few French stadiums to be almost completely surrounded by the city and overlooks the Toulon bay and military harbour in the Mediterranean.
Honours
- French championship
- Champions: 1931, 1987, 1992
- Runners-up: 1946, 1968, 1971, 1985, 1989
- Challenge Yves du ManoirChallenge Yves du ManoirThe Challenge Yves du Manoir was a rugby union club competition that was played in France between 1931 and 2003 under different names. It is named after former player Yves du Manoir.-History:...
- Champions: 1934, 1970
- Runners-up: 1939, 1954, 1983
- Rugby Pro D2Rugby Pro D2Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
- Champions: 2005, 20082007-08 Rugby Pro D2 seasonThe 2007-08 Rugby Pro D2 was a French rugby union club competition. The season ran alongside the 2007-08 Top 14 competition, which is the highest club competition. Both competitions were operated by the Ligue nationale de rugby ....
- Runners-up: 2000
- Champions: 2005, 2008
- European Challenge CupEuropean Challenge CupThe European Challenge Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Amlin Challenge Cup, is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup. The cup was known as the Parker Pen Shield from 2001 to 2003 and Parker Pen Challenge Cup from 2003 to 2005. The European...
- Runners-up: 20102009–10 European Challenge CupThe 2009–10 Amlin Challenge Cup was the 14th season of the European Challenge Cup, the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from six nations in European rugby. It started on 8 October 2009 at Sixways Stadium in Worcester with Worcester Warriors hosting Montpellier, and ended with...
- Runners-up: 2010
French championship
| Date | Winners | Runners-up | Score | Venue | Spectators |
| 10 May 1931 | RC Toulon | Lyon OU Lyon OU Lyon Olympique Universitaire or LOU is a French rugby union team that competes in the Top 14, the first level of the country's professional league system. They earned their spot in the Top 14 by winning the 2010–11 title of the second-tier Pro D2.... |
6–3 | Parc Lescure, Bordeaux Bordeaux Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture... |
10,000 |
| 18 April 1948 | FC Lourdes FC Lourdes FC Lourdais is a French rugby union club currently competing in the French league system. Formed in 1911 they have won the French league eight times and the French cup six times. They play in the Stade Antoine-Beguere and traditionally wear blue and red jerseys. Their most notable former player is... |
RC Toulon | 11–3 | Stade des Ponts Jumeaux Stade des Ponts Jumeaux The Stade des Ponts Jumeaux was a rugby union stadium, inaugurated on 24 November 1907, in the Ponts Jumeaux district of Toulouse, south-western France. The land was purchased by the embryonic Stade Toulousain rugby team – with financial assistance from city notables – then headed by a law... , Toulouse Toulouse Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea... |
29,753 |
| 16 June 1968 | FC Lourdes FC Lourdes FC Lourdais is a French rugby union club currently competing in the French league system. Formed in 1911 they have won the French league eight times and the French cup six times. They play in the Stade Antoine-Beguere and traditionally wear blue and red jerseys. Their most notable former player is... |
RC Toulon | 9–9 (aet) | Stadium Municipal, Toulouse | 28,526 |
| 16 May 1971 | Béziers | RC Toulon | 15–9 (aet) | Parc Lescure, Bordeaux | 27,737 |
| 25 May 1985 | Toulouse Stade Toulousain Stade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps... |
RC Toulon | 36–22 (aet) | Parc des Princes Parc des Princes The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed... , Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
37,000 |
| 22 May 1987 | RC Toulon | Racing Club de France | 15–12 | Parc des Princes, Paris | 48,000 |
| 27 May 1989 | Toulouse Stade Toulousain Stade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps... |
RC Toulon | 18–12 | Parc des Princes, Paris | 48,000 |
| 6 June 1992 | RC Toulon | Biarritz Biarritz Olympique Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque is a French professional rugby union team based in the Basque city of Biarritz, Aquitaine which competes in the Top 14 and the Heineken Cup... |
19–14 | Parc des Princes, Paris | 48,000 |
Challenge Yves du Manoir
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
| 1934 | Stade Toulousain Stade Toulousain Stade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps... RC Toulon |
0–0 (tied, joint winners) | |
| 1939 | Section Paloise Section Paloise Section Paloise is a French rugby union club from Pau in Pyrénées-Atlantiques currently competing in Rugby Pro D2, the second level of the French league system.-History:... |
5–0 | RC Toulon |
| 1954 | FC Lourdes FC Lourdes FC Lourdais is a French rugby union club currently competing in the French league system. Formed in 1911 they have won the French league eight times and the French cup six times. They play in the Stade Antoine-Beguere and traditionally wear blue and red jerseys. Their most notable former player is... |
28–12 | RC Toulon |
| 1970 | RC Toulon | 25–22 | SU Agen SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne Sporting Union Agen Lot-et-Garonne is a French rugby union club based in Agen in the department of Lot-et-Garonne. They currently play in the top flight of French professional rugby, Top 14; they were most recently promoted after winning the 2010 title in the second-level Pro D2. Agen also... |
| 1983 | SU Agen SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne Sporting Union Agen Lot-et-Garonne is a French rugby union club based in Agen in the department of Lot-et-Garonne. They currently play in the top flight of French professional rugby, Top 14; they were most recently promoted after winning the 2010 title in the second-level Pro D2. Agen also... |
29–7 | RC Toulon |
European Challenge Cup
| Date | Winner | Score | Runner-up | Venue |
| 23 May 2010 | Cardiff Blues Cardiff Blues Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club.... |
28–21 | RC Toulon | Stade Vélodrome Stade Vélodrome The Stade Vélodrome is a football stadium in Marseille, France. It is home to the Olympique de Marseille football club of Ligue 1, and was a venue in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2007 Rugby World Cup. It is the largest club-football ground in France, with a capacity of 60,031 spectators,... , Marseille Marseille Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of... |
Current squad
Under LNR rules, teams are limited to two players of non-EU nationality on their domestic matchday rosters. (Henjak was dropped from Toulon's domestic roster in November 2009 for this reason, but remained on the club's European roster, and captained the side in 2009–10 Challenge Cup matches.) However, a large number of players whose primary nationality is outside the EU are exempt from this quota for various reasons.- The largest non-EU source of quota-exempt players is the ACP countries, due to the Kolpak ruling. Although that ruling was reinterpreted in 2008 to allow countries to make Kolpak players subject to quotas, France is not known to have done so. In the context of rugby, the most important ACP countries are South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, FijiFijiFiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, SamoaSamoaSamoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, and TongaTongaTonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
; Toulon has at least one player with either citizenship or recent ancestry in each of these countries. In addition to the players who are nationals of the aforementioned countries:- Auelua and Wulf are of Samoan descent.
- Loamanu and Taumoepeau were born in Tonga, and Kefu and Smith are of Tongan descent.
- Kubriashvili also qualifies for the Kolpak exemption because GeorgiaGeorgia (country)Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
has a similar relationship with the EU through the European Neighbourhood PolicyEuropean Neighbourhood PolicyThe European Neighbourhood Policy is a foreign relations instrument of the European Union which seeks to tie those countries to the east and south of the EU into the EU...
.
Internationally Capped Players
All players named are capped in rugby union unless indicated otherwise. Juan Martín Fernández LobbeJuan Martín Fernández Lobbe
Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe is an Argentine rugby union footballer. He currently plays for Toulon in the French Top 14, having moved from Sale Sharks in England's Guinness Premiership. He previously played for Liceo Naval, and has represented Argentina...
Matt Giteau
Matt Giteau
Matthew Giteau is an Australian rugby union footballer, a former international who now plays for the French Top 14 side Toulon. He attended St Edmund's College, Canberra, which has produced other Wallabies including George Gregan, Matt Henjak and the former rugby league star and now coach Ricky...
Matt Henjak
Matt Henjak
Matt Henjak is an Australian rugby union player. His position of choice is scrum-half. Henjak, of Croatian ancestry, is the nephew of former rugby league half-back and Brisbane Broncos head coach Ivan Henjak...
Luke Rooney
Luke Rooney
Luke Rooney is an Australian professional rugby union footballer for RC Toulonnais in the Top 14 competition as of 2012. His previous teams include Melbourne Rebels and the Penrith Panthers.-Rugby League:...
(Australia, rugby league) Steffon Armitage
Steffon Armitage
Steffon Armitage is a rugby union player for RC Toulon in the Top 14.- Career :Armitage plays as a flanker. He is of heavy build but of comparatively slight stature for a modern day flanker. A comparison with Neil Back has been made and like Back he is quick and particularly effective in ruck...
Dean Schofield
Dean Schofield
Dean Schofield is a professional Rugby union player who plays for RC Toulon. He plays lock and is a product of Aldwinians RUFC. He first came to prominence when scoring twice as Aldwinians beat Dudley Kingswinsford in the NPI Cup Final at Twickenham...
Simon Shaw
Simon Shaw
Simon Dalton Shaw MBE is an English rugby union player who plays at lock for Toulon and England.-Biography:...
Jonny Wilkinson
Jonny Wilkinson
Jonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players...
Gabiriele Lovobalavu
Gabiriele Lovobalavu
Gabiriele Voduadua Lovobalavu is a Fijian rugby union player. He plays as a centre. Lovobalavu is from Kanakana, Tunuloa from Cakaudrove Province...
Mathieu Bastareaud
Mathieu Bastareaud
Mathieu Bastareaud is a French rugby union centre who plays for Toulon.- Stade Francais :Bastareaud played for Creteil Rugby youth squads and then moved to Massy. He went through the junior academy there and played for the third division club SU Massy...
Sébastien Bruno
Sébastien Bruno
Sébastien Bruno is a French rugby union footballer who plays as a hooker for Toulon and formerly for France. Born in Nîmes, Bruno joined Sale Sharks from French club Béziers, making his debut against Leicester Tigers in 2004. He made his international debut in 2002 against Wales, and was selected...
Alexis Palisson
Alexis Palisson
Alexis Palisson is a French rugby union footballer. He plays as a fullback and wing. He is 1.76m tall and weighs just 83 kg....
Sébastien Tillous-Borde
Sébastien Tillous-Borde
Sébastien Tillous-Borde is a French rugby union player. He plays scrum-half for his club rugby with Castres Olympique. He won his first international cap for France against Australia in 2008.-Notes:...
Davit Kubriashvili Damien Tussac
Damien Tussac
Damien Tussac is a German international rugby union player, playing for the RC Toulonnais in the Top 14 and the German national rugby union team...
Christian Loamanu
Christian Loamanu
Christian Loamanu is a Japanese rugby union player. and 108 kg, who plays as a winger. He can also play as centre. He plays in the Top 14 for RC Toulonnais....
Carl Hayman
Carl Hayman
Carl Hayman is an international rugby union footballer who has played at tighthead prop for Otago at provincial level, the Highlanders in the Super 14 and the All Blacks at international level...
Rory Lamont
Rory Lamont
Rory Lamont is a rugby union player who plays fullback and on the wing most recently he played for RC Toulon and currently for the Scotland. Rory is the younger brother of Sean Lamont.- Club career :...
Bakkies Botha
Bakkies Botha
John Philip "Bakkies" Botha, is a South African rugby union player who plays lock for the Springboks. He was a member of the national team that won the Rugby World Cup in 2007 in addition to winning two Tri-Nations titles in 2004 and 2009...
André Pretorius Joe van Niekerk
Joe van Niekerk
Johann "Joe" van Niekerk is a South African rugby union player, who generally plays either as a flanker or number 8...
Eifion Lewis-Roberts
Players In
Matt GiteauMatt Giteau
Matthew Giteau is an Australian rugby union footballer, a former international who now plays for the French Top 14 side Toulon. He attended St Edmund's College, Canberra, which has produced other Wallabies including George Gregan, Matt Henjak and the former rugby league star and now coach Ricky...
(from
Brumbies) Willie MasonWillie Mason
William Marshall "Willie" Mason is an Australian professional rugby union footballer for Toulon in the Top 14 competition, having previously being a rugby league footballer for Hull KR in the European Super League.Mason signed a 3-year contract with Hull KR in September 2010, pending a successful...
(from
Hull KRHull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
) Jone Tawake
Jone Tawake
Jone Tawake , , is a Fijian born rugby union player. He currently competes in the Super 14 competition and plays for the ACT Brumbies as a flanker and no.8. He formerly played for the New South Wales Waratahs...
(from
NarbonneRC Narbonne
Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée is a French rugby union club that play in the second-level Rugby Pro D2, after finishing at the bottom of the 2006-07 Top 14 table....
) Steffon Armitage
Steffon Armitage
Steffon Armitage is a rugby union player for RC Toulon in the Top 14.- Career :Armitage plays as a flanker. He is of heavy build but of comparatively slight stature for a modern day flanker. A comparison with Neil Back has been made and like Back he is quick and particularly effective in ruck...
(from
London IrishLondon Irish
London Irish RFC is an English rugby union club based in Sunbury, Surrey, where the senior squad train, the youth teams and senior academy play home games, and the club maintain their administrative offices. The senior squad play home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading and compete in the top...
) Simon Shaw
Simon Shaw
Simon Dalton Shaw MBE is an English rugby union player who plays at lock for Toulon and England.-Biography:...
(from
London WaspsLondon Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
) (medical joker) Seva Rokobaro (from
Aix-en-ProvencePays d'Aix RC
Pays d'Aix RC is a French rugby union club currently playing in Pro D2, the second tier of the country's professional system. They arrived in Pro D2 for the 2009–10 season after earning promotion from the top amateur league, Fédérale 1....
) Mathieu Bastareaud
Mathieu Bastareaud
Mathieu Bastareaud is a French rugby union centre who plays for Toulon.- Stade Francais :Bastareaud played for Creteil Rugby youth squads and then moved to Massy. He went through the junior academy there and played for the third division club SU Massy...
(from
Stade Français) Julien Dumora (from PauSection Paloise
Section Paloise is a French rugby union club from Pau in Pyrénées-Atlantiques currently competing in Rugby Pro D2, the second level of the French league system.-History:...
) Romain Frou (from
La RochelleAtlantique Stade Rochelais
Stade Rochelais is a French rugby union club who compete in the Pro D2. They are often known simply as La Rochelle.They were founded in 1898 and play at Stade Marcel-Deflandre . They wear yellow and black...
) Alexis Palisson
Alexis Palisson
Alexis Palisson is a French rugby union footballer. He plays as a fullback and wing. He is 1.76m tall and weighs just 83 kg....
(from
BriveCA Brive
Club Athlétique Brive Corrèze Limousin is a French rugby union team founded in 1910 and based in Brive-la-Gaillarde in the département of Corrèze of the Limousin région . They wear black and white and play in the Stade Amédée-Domenech .- History :The club was created on 15 March 1910 established on...
) Sébastien Tillous-Borde
Sébastien Tillous-Borde
Sébastien Tillous-Borde is a French rugby union player. He plays scrum-half for his club rugby with Castres Olympique. He won his first international cap for France against Australia in 2008.-Notes:...
(from
CastresCastres Olympique
Castres Olympique is a French rugby union club located in the Midi-Pyrénées city of Castres and currently competing in the top level of the French league system.Founded in 1898, the club took its current name in 1906...
) David Smith
David Smith (rugby footballer)
David Smith is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays with Toulon in the French Top 14. He had most recently played provincial rugby in New Zealand for Taranaki in the ITM Cup, and before that for Auckland in the Air New Zealand Cup, having played in the Super 14.- Early life and career :Smith...
(from
Western ForceWestern Force
Western Force is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super Rugby competition. They first competed in the 2006 season and finished with the wooden spoon in that year, however their performances greatly improved in 2007. In 2008 they finished in 8th...
) Bakkies Botha
Bakkies Botha
John Philip "Bakkies" Botha, is a South African rugby union player who plays lock for the Springboks. He was a member of the national team that won the Rugby World Cup in 2007 in addition to winning two Tri-Nations titles in 2004 and 2009...
(from
Bulls) André PretoriusAndré Pretorius
André Pretorius is a South African rugby union footballer. His usual position is at fly-half, where he is currently under contract at the Lions. He has been capped by his country's national side, the Springboks and was a member of the 2007 Rugby World Cup squad that was crowned world champions...
(from
Lions) Eifion Lewis-Roberts (from Sale SharksSale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
) Greg Davies
Greg Davies
Greg Davies is a British stand-up comedian, actor, and former teacher, best known for his roles as Greg in We Are Klang and Mr. Gilbert in The Inbetweeners. He has performed on the BBC's Live at the Apollo series....
(from
Dunvant RFCDunvant RFC
| teamname = Dunvant RFC | fullname = Dunvant Rugby Football Club | nickname = "The Vant", "Green & Red Hoops" | location = Dunvant, Wales | countryflag = Wales | founded = 1888 | ground = Broadacre | capacity = 3000...
)
Players Out
Felipe ContepomiFelipe Contepomi
Felipe Contepomi is an Argentine rugby union footballer. A fly-half and centre, he currently plays for Stade Francais of the French Top 14; he made his debut for the club in November 2009 after recovering from a torn ACL suffered in a 2008–09 Heineken Cup match with his previous club, Magners...
(to
Stade Français) George Smith (to Panasonic Wild Knights) Joe El-AbdJoe El-Abd
Joe El-Abd is a rugby union player. He currently plays for Toulon in the French Top 14.El-Abd began playing rugby at Hove RFC and at the University of Bath, and after an unsuccessful spell with Bath Rugby, he joined Caerphilly RFC and later Bristol Rugby in 2003, where he has spent the best part...
Tom May (to
Northampton SaintsNorthampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
) Paul Sackey
Paul Sackey
Paul Henry Sackey is an English rugby union footballer who currently plays at wing for Stade Français in the Top 14.As of 28 February 2009 he has 22 full England caps...
(to
Stade Français) Romain Barthélémy (to AlbiSC Albi
Sporting Club Albigeois is a professional French rugby union club playing the second-level Rugby Pro D2. During the past years it went back and forth between Top 14, the highest level of the French league system and the second-level Rugby Pro D2. Their last time in the Top 14 was for 2009–10 after...
) Benjamin Bastères
Benjamin Basteres
Benjamin Bastères , born in Bastia , is a French rugby union player who plays as left prop for RC Toulonnais .- Career :* Until 2001 : Bastia* Since 2001 : RC Toulon- Honours :* Pro D2 Champions : 2005, 2008...
(to
Aix-en-ProvencePays d'Aix RC
Pays d'Aix RC is a French rugby union club currently playing in Pro D2, the second tier of the country's professional system. They arrived in Pro D2 for the 2009–10 season after earning promotion from the top amateur league, Fédérale 1....
) Clément Marienval (to
BriveCA Brive
Club Athlétique Brive Corrèze Limousin is a French rugby union team founded in 1910 and based in Brive-la-Gaillarde in the département of Corrèze of the Limousin région . They wear black and white and play in the Stade Amédée-Domenech .- History :The club was created on 15 March 1910 established on...
) Mehdi Merabet (to
OyonnaxOyonnax Rugby
Union sportive Oyonnax Rugby is a French rugby union club from Oyonnax in the Ain département of the région Rhône-Alpes, currently competing in the second level of the French league system . They play at Stade Charles-Mathon...
) Pierre Mignoni
Pierre Mignoni
Pierre Mignoni is a retired French rugby union footballer who is currently a coach for his hometown club team, Toulon. He has also played for the France national team....
- Retiring, Coaching Thomas Sourice
Thomas Sourice
Thomas Sourice, born in Tours , is a French rugby union player who plays as flanker for RC Toulonnais .- Career :* 1997-2000 : Nice UR, student at Pôle Espoir Rugby of the school at Parc Impérial à Nice* Since 2000 : RC Toulon...
(to
Aix-en-ProvencePays d'Aix RC
Pays d'Aix RC is a French rugby union club currently playing in Pro D2, the second tier of the country's professional system. They arrived in Pro D2 for the 2009–10 season after earning promotion from the top amateur league, Fédérale 1....
) Fotu Auelua
Fotunuupule Auelua
Fotunuupule Auelua is a Samoan rugby union player who plays at Number 8 for RC Toulonnais.- Career :Auelua played for West Harbour between 2003 and 2005....
(to
NTT Shining ArcsNTT Shining Arcs
NTT Shining Arcs RFC is a Rugby Union Team owned by NTT Communications and is part of Japan's Top League Competition. The current coach is Masato Hayashi, the previous Head Coach of Keio University Rugby Team.The team is based in Ichikawa city, Chiba....
and later
Brumbies) Saimone TaumoepeauSaimone Taumoepeau
Saimone Taumoepeau is a professional rugby union player in France.-Career:Born in Tonga, Taumoepeau emigrated to New Zealand at the age of 20. Taumoepeau was a shock selection in the 2004 end-of-year All Blacks squad after having only made his debut that season in provincial rugby's Air New...
(to
CastresCastres Olympique
Castres Olympique is a French rugby union club located in the Midi-Pyrénées city of Castres and currently competing in the top level of the French league system.Founded in 1898, the club took its current name in 1906...
) Rudi Wulf
Rudi Wulf
Rudi Wulf is a rugby union footballer who plays for Toulon in the French Top 14. He joined Toulon on a two-year contract after being left out of the 2010 All Black Tri Nations squad. He previously played for North Harbour in the Air New Zealand Cup and the Auckland-based Blues in the Super 14...
(to
North HarbourNorth Harbour Rugby Union
The North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the ITM Cup , the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby encompasses a...
and Blues) Gavin Henson
Gavin Henson
Gavin Lloyd Henson is a Welsh rugby union player, born in Pencoed, South Wales, currently playing for Cardiff Blues.He attracted much media attention as part of a Wales national team which achieved Grand Slams in the Six Nations Championship in 2005 and 2008...
Notable former players
| Felipe Contepomi Felipe Contepomi Felipe Contepomi is an Argentine rugby union footballer. A fly-half and centre, he currently plays for Stade Francais of the French Top 14; he made his debut for the club in November 2009 after recovering from a torn ACL suffered in a 2008–09 Heineken Cup match with his previous club, Magners... Esteban Lozada Esteban Lozada Esteban Lozada is an Argentine rugby union player who currently plays for Scottish team Edinburgh Rugby. He also plays for the Argentina national team and was part of the 2007 Rugby World Cup squad. He debuted with "Los Pumas" on November 11, 2006... Gonzalo Quesada Gonzalo Quesada Gonzalo Quesada is an Argentine rugby player.-Biography:He was born May 2, 1974 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He won 39 caps playing at Fly-half for the Argentinian rugby union side between 1996 and 2003. He made his test debut at the age of 22 against the United States the 14 September 1996. He won... George Gregan George Gregan George Musarurwa Gregan AM is an Australian rugby union halfback who has made more appearances for his national team than any other player in the sport's history.... Luke Rooney Luke Rooney Luke Rooney is an Australian professional rugby union footballer for RC Toulonnais in the Top 14 competition as of 2012. His previous teams include Melbourne Rebels and the Penrith Panthers.-Rugby League:... George Smith Martin Jágr Martin Jágr Martin Jágr is a Czech rugby union footballer. He is nicknamed "Jaguar". His position on the field is on the wing... Joe El-Abd Joe El-Abd Joe El-Abd is a rugby union player. He currently plays for Toulon in the French Top 14.El-Abd began playing rugby at Hove RFC and at the University of Bath, and after an unsuccessful spell with Bath Rugby, he joined Caerphilly RFC and later Bristol Rugby in 2003, where he has spent the best part... Dan Luger Dan Luger Daniel Darko Luger MBE is a former English rugby union international who was a member of the squad that won the Webb Ellis Cup in 2003.- Club career:... Tom May Tom May Thomas or Tom May may refer to:*Tom May , rugby union player*Tom May , mycologist*Thomas May , English poet and dramatist*Thomas May MP for Midhurst 1640-1642... Paul Sackey Paul Sackey Paul Henry Sackey is an English rugby union footballer who currently plays at wing for Stade Français in the Top 14.As of 28 February 2009 he has 22 full England caps... Sisa Koyamaibole Sisa Koyamaibole Sisaro Dautu Koyamaibole is a Fijian rugby union player. His usual position is number eight. Koyamaibole has been capped 38 times by| Fiji, including playing in the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups, and has played for the country in rugby sevens tournaments... Marc Andreu Marc Andreu Marc Andreu is a French rugby union player. Andreu, who is a wing, plays his club rugby for Castres Olympique. He made his debut for France against Wales on 26 February 2010. He scored his first international try against Italy in a 2010 Six Nations Championship match on 14 March 2010.-External... Benjamin Bastères Benjamin Basteres Benjamin Bastères , born in Bastia , is a French rugby union player who plays as left prop for RC Toulonnais .- Career :* Until 2001 : Bastia* Since 2001 : RC Toulon- Honours :* Pro D2 Champions : 2005, 2008... Jean Berti Christian Carrère Christian Carrère Christian Carrère, born on July 27, 1943 in Tarbes, France, is a former rugby union player. He played for the French Rugby team as a flanker.- Club :* Stadoceste Tarbais* RC Toulonnais... Christian Califano Christian Califano Christian Califano is a former French rugby union player who finished his career at Gloucester Rugby.At the end of 2003, he had been capped 68 times for the France national team, which was the record for a French prop until Sylvain Marconnet earned his 69th one on February 4, 2007... Éric Champ Éric Champ Éric Champ is a former French rugby union player. He played as a flanker and as a number eight.Champ played all his career at RC Toulonnais, from 1979/80 to 1993/94. He won two French Championships, in 1986/87 and 1991/92. He had to leave competition after a serious injury.He had 42 caps for... Jean-Jacques Crenca Jean-Jacques Crenca Jean-Jacques Crenca is a French rugby player.Crenca was born in Marmande, Aquitaine. He played for SU Agen before moving to RC Toulon for the 2006/07 season. He was a member of France's 2003 Rugby World Cup squad playing at prop.... Yann Delaigue Yann Delaigue Yann Delaigue is a retired French international rugby union player.He earned his first cap with the French national team on 19 March 1994 against Scotland in a Five Nations Championship match that ended in a 20-12 victory.-Notes:... Christophe Dominici Christophe Dominici Christophe Dominici is a former French rugby union footballer of Italian origin. He played wing for Stade Français and France. He has been a coach with Stade Français since the start of the 2008/9 season and a board member since 2009/10 season.-Club career:Christophe Dominici was born in Toulon... Jérôme Gallion Jerome Gallion Jérôme Gallion Jérôme Gallion Jérôme Gallion (born 4 April 1955 in Toulon, France is a retired French international rugby union scrum half for RC Toulonnais.Gallion made his international début for France in January 1978, against England, replacing the retired Jacques Fouroux.... André Herrero André Herrero André Herrero, born on January 28, 1938 in Puisserguier, France, is a former rugby union player. He played for the French Rugby team as a flanker.- Club :* RC Toulonnais... Aubin Hueber Aubin Hueber Aubin Hueber is a former French rugby union footballer and a current coach. He played as a scrum-half.He first played at Stadoceste Tarbais, moving to Stade Bagnérais, in 1984, where he premiered in the first team and played until 1988... Jo Maso Jo Maso Jo Maso is a former rugby union and rugby league footballer who played centre for Narbonne, Toulonnais, Perpignan and France, gaining 25 caps. His alternative position was fly-half... Éric Melville |
Jacques Merquey Jacques Merquey Jacques Merquey , was a French rugby footballer of the 1950s. An dual-code rugby international, his position was centre, later in his career this changed to stand-off. He played for the Avignon rugby league club, S.O.A XIII, becoming the most capped International, with 37 games for France... Pierre Mignoni Pierre Mignoni Pierre Mignoni is a retired French rugby union footballer who is currently a coach for his hometown club team, Toulon. He has also played for the France national team.... Marc de Rougemont Marc de Rougemont Marc de Rougemont is a French rugby union footballer. He plays as a hooker. His nickname is "Le Rouge" .... Jean-Baptiste Rué Thomas Sourice Thomas Sourice Thomas Sourice, born in Tours , is a French rugby union player who plays as flanker for RC Toulonnais .- Career :* 1997-2000 : Nice UR, student at Pôle Espoir Rugby of the school at Parc Impérial à Nice* Since 2000 : RC Toulon... Jean-François Tordo Jean-François Tordo Jean-François Tordo is a retired French international rugby union player. He played as a flanker for RC Toulonnais.... Rob Henderson Rob Henderson Robert Alexander James Henderson is a rugby union footballer who plays at centre for Esher RFC. He has represented Ireland with 32 caps and toured with the 2001 British and Irish Lions.... Tim Ryan Tim Ryan (rugby player) Tim Ryan is a rugby union player for Newcastle Falcons in the Guinness premiership. His position of choice is tighthead prop. Ryan started his underage rugby at Woodleigh Park for Highfield RFC playing in the second row and won an All-Ireland U-16 title... Santiago Dellapè Santiago Dellapè Santiago Dellapè is an Italian Argentine rugby union footballer. His usual position is at lock. He plays for Italy, and was included their 2003 Rugby World Cup squad to Australia... Ramiro Pez Ramiro Pez Ramiro Pez is an Italian Argentine rugby union footballer who normally plays at fly-half. In 2008-09, he joined the newly promoted French Top 14 club Toulon, having been signed from Venezia Mestre in the Italian Super 10 competition.He made his international debut with the Italian national team on... Fotu Auelua Fotunuupule Auelua Fotunuupule Auelua is a Samoan rugby union player who plays at Number 8 for RC Toulonnais.- Career :Auelua played for West Harbour between 2003 and 2005.... Jerry Collins Jerry Collins Jerry Collins is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who formerly played for the national team, the All Blacks in which he was capped 48 times. He now plays for Yamaha Jubilo, in Japanese Top league rugby.-Early career:... Andrew Mehrtens Andrew Mehrtens Andrew Philip Mehrtens MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, currently playing in France for Béziers, a club in the third-level Fédérale 1 league... Anton Oliver Anton Oliver Anton David Oliver is a retired New Zealand rugby union footballer who most recently played professionally for the French second-division club Toulon, noted for signing veteran greats including former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga and great George Gregan... Saimone Taumoepeau Saimone Taumoepeau Saimone Taumoepeau is a professional rugby union player in France.-Career:Born in Tonga, Taumoepeau emigrated to New Zealand at the age of 20. Taumoepeau was a shock selection in the 2004 end-of-year All Blacks squad after having only made his debut that season in provincial rugby's Air New... Tana Umaga Tana Umaga Jonathan Ionatana Falefasa "Tana" Umaga, ONZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. He played for the Hurricanes starting with the Super 12's inception in 1996 and took over the captaincy in 2003... Sonny Bill Williams Sonny Bill Williams Sonny William 'Sonny Bill' Williams is a New Zealand rugby union player and former rugby league player. He is only the second person to represent New Zealand in rugby union after first playing for the country in rugby league. In rugby union he usually plays as a centre... Rudi Wulf Rudi Wulf Rudi Wulf is a rugby union footballer who plays for Toulon in the French Top 14. He joined Toulon on a two-year contract after being left out of the 2010 All Black Tri Nations squad. He previously played for North Harbour in the Air New Zealand Cup and the Auckland-based Blues in the Super 14... Victor Matfield Victor Matfield Victor Matfield is a South African rugby union player. He has played for, and captained the Springbok rugby team as well as the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup and the Bulls franchise in the Super 14... Lawrence Sephaka Lawrence Sephaka Lawrence Sephaka is a South African rugby union footballer. His usual position is at prop, preferably Tighthead.He currently plays in the Super 14 for the Lions.... Tusi Pisi Tusi Pisi Tusi Pisi is a rugby union player who played for North Harbour in the Air New Zealand Cup. His position is fly half, but he has also played at centre and full back... Junior Polu Junior Polu Junior Poluleuligaga is a Samoan rugby union international player. He currently plays for Exeter Chiefs in the Aviva Premiership. He plays as a Scrum-half and was educated at De La Salle College, Mangere East. His name is often abbreviated to Junior Polu.-Career:So much of Junior Poluleuligaga's... Mafileo Kefu Mafileo Kefu Mafileo Kefu is a rugby union footballer currently playing for RC Toulon in France. He is the younger brother of former Wallabies number eight Toutai Kefu.-Notes:... Gavin Henson Gavin Henson Gavin Lloyd Henson is a Welsh rugby union player, born in Pencoed, South Wales, currently playing for Cardiff Blues.He attracted much media attention as part of a Wales national team which achieved Grand Slams in the Six Nations Championship in 2005 and 2008... Jamie Robinson Jamie Robinson Jamie Peter Robinson is a Wales international rugby union footballer who currently plays for Agen at outside centre. He attended Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf with younger brother Nick Robinson. He is known for his saloon door defence, blistering pace and ability to beat defenders.Robinson came to... |