ASM Clermont Auvergne

ASM Clermont Auvergne

Full name	Association Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne
Nickname(s)	Montferrand Les Jaunards (The Yellow Guys) Les Jaune et Bleu (The Yellow and Blues) La Yellow Army
Founded	1911; 113 years ago (1911)
Location	Clermont-Ferrand, France
Ground(s)	Stade Marcel-Michelin (Capacity: 19,372)
Chairman	Michelin
President	Jean-Claude Pats
Coach(es)	Christophe Urios
Captain(s)	Arthur Iturria
Most appearances	Éric Nicol (437)
Top scorer	Gérald Merceron (2,704)
Most tries	Aurélien Rougerie (134)
League(s)	Top 14
2022–23	10th
1st kit 2nd kit
Official website
www.asm-rugby.com

Association Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne (pronounced

. The rugby section is a part of a multi-sport club called AS Montferrand (also known as ASM Omnisports), which was founded in 1911 and adopted that name in 1919. Although the rugby section changed its name to the current ASM Clermont Auvergne in 2004, it is still frequently referred to as Montferrand both within and outside France.

The team play at the 19,022-seat Stade Marcel-Michelin, also known by its nickname, The Bib Park. Clermont wear yellow and blue, the colours of the French tyre manufacturer Michelin, taken from the colours of Montferrand when the firm was created there in 1889.

The city is where Marcel Michelin, the son of the founder of the French tyre manufacturer, decided to implement the first factory but also the stadium after the creation of ASM for its workers before World War I. L'ASM, as they are also called, have reached the French Championship final thirteen times, losing on each occasion until their eleventh trip in 2010, when they won the championship in their 100th year as a club.^[1]

History

Amateur era

The club was established in 1911 as AS Michelin, though they changed their name to AS Montferrandaise in 1919 due to legal obligation. The club was started by Marcel Michelin, the son of André Michelin, the founder of the Michelin tyre manufacturer. He died in deportation at Buchenwald; he had been deported there as a member of the Resistance and was involved in two successful escape attempts before dying during the third.

The club made its first final of any competition in 1935, where they played Perpignan for the Challenge Yves du Manoir. AS Montferrand lost the match, 3–3 and 9–0. The following year they featured in their first championship final; though they lost to RC Narbonne 6 points to 3. They made the final again in 1937, though that match was also lost, 13 points to 7 to CS Vienne. The following season the club won its first title; winning the Challenge Yves du Manoir by defeating Perpignan 23 points to 10.

During the 1940s the club contested the

40 points to 12 just a few days after the death of the young international winger, Jean-François Philiponeau, struck on the field during an exhibition game. The club then contested the championship final in 1978, though they lost to Béziers. They also lost the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1979, against Narbonne.

In 1994 season the club contested both the French championship and the Challenge Yves du Manoir. They lost the Challenge Yves du Manoir to Perpignan (the third time the clubs had met in the competition final). They also lost the championship, defeated 22 points to 16 by Toulouse.

Professional era

The club contested two finals in the 1999 season as well, the French championship and the

, by one point, 27 to 26 at the last minute.

The team experienced a hard period between 2002 and 2006 and it was only with the arrival of Vern Cotter, in the middle of 2006, that the team's form began to improve.^[citation needed] In Vern Cotter's first year as head coach, Clermont reached their first final since 2001 (which they lost in the last minute against Stade Français), and won the European Challenge Cup against Bath at the Twickenham Stoop. Montferrand developed further under Vern Cotter during the following two seasons, but they lose two more finals against Toulouse in 2008, and Perpignan in 2009. But the team continues to bounce back and perform well years of years.

In 2010, in the Heineken Cup the team was drawn against Leicester Tigers and Ospreys in a tough pool. Despite this Montferrand succeeded in winning the pool and were subsequently drawn against the holders of the cup, Leinster Rugby. That was the beginning of what would become one of the greatest rivalries in rugby. In an epic battle, Montferrand lost 29–28. After this loss, they went on to win all of their remaining games to win the French championship against Perpignan (19–6) with a notably exceptional display during the semi-final against RC Toulon in Saint-Etienne.

In 2012 they reached the semi-final of the

dropped the ball on Leinster's try line.

Clermont reached the

16–10 in the semi-final in Montpellier. They subsequently lost to Toulon in the HEC final which was held in Lansdowne Road in Dublin on 18 May 2013 by a single point (16–15).

In 2014, Clermont reached the

.

2015 saw Clermont make it to the final of the European Cup (now European Rugby Champions Cup) but lost to RC Toulon 24–18. A few weeks later, they also lost the final of the French Top 14 against Stade Français 12–6.

2016 saw Clermont having their first blow in the European Rugby Champions Cup since 2011 by failing to make the quarter final after a late loss against Bordeaux at home. But they finally reached the French championship semi-final with a highly controversial lose against Racing 92.

However, the team bounced back and produced during the season 2016-2017, reaching again two finals in the French Top 14 and European Champions Cup. They lost the European Cup against reigning champions Saracens.

In January 2020, Clermont acquired a minority stake in the American rugby club New Orleans Gold. In addition to player exchanges, the teams will seek to facilitate cultural exchanges between the state of Louisiana and France.^[2]

Current standings

2023–24 Top 14 Table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Stade Français	21	15	1	5	440	356	+84	46	30	4	1	67	Qualification for 2024–25 European Rugby Champions Cup and Playoffs
2	Toulouse	21	13	0	8	596	469	+127	81	55	6	3	61
3	Racing 92	21	12	0	9	525	418	+107	67	42	5	4	57
4	Toulon	21	12	0	9	558	418	+140	57	47	4	3	55
5	Bordeaux Bègles	21	12	0	9	521	463	+58	60	54	3	3	54
6	La Rochelle	21	10	0	11	474	372	+102	54	34	5	7	52
7	Pau	21	11	0	10	497	481	+16	51	54	2	4	50	Qualification for 2024–25 European Rugby Challenge Cup
8	Perpignan	21	11	0	10	500	557	−57	64	69	5	0	49
9	Castres	21	10	0	11	522	523	−1	56	62	4	5	49
10	Bayonne	21	9	0	12	460	532	−72	51	62	2	6	44
11	Clermont	21	8	2	11	447	538	−91	50	63	3	3	42
12	Lyon	21	9	0	12	482	621	−139	52	73	4	2	42
13	Montpellier	21	8	0	13	418	496	−78	46	57	1	5	38	Qualification for Relegation play-off
14	Oyonnax	21	5	1	15	449	645	−196	47	80	0	4	26	Relegation to Pro D2

Honours

• European Rugby Champions Cup:
  • Runners-up: 3 (2013, 2015, 2017)
• European Rugby Challenge Cup
  :
  • Winners: 3 (1999, 2007, 2019)
  • Runners-up: 1 (2004)
• Top 14:
  • Winners: 2 (2010, 2017)
  • Runners-up: 12 (1936, 1937, 1970, 1978, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2019)
• Challenge Yves du Manoir:
  • Winners: 3 (1938, 1976, 1986)
  • Runners-up: 6 (1935, 1957, 1972, 1979, 1985, 1994)
• Coupe de France
  :
  • Winners: 1 (2001)
  • Runners-up: 2 (1945, 1947)

European results

Heineken Cup and European Rugby Champions Cup Finals

Date	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Venue	Spectators
18 May 2013	RC Toulon	16–15	Clermont Auvergne	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	51,142
2 May 2015	RC Toulon	24–18	Clermont Auvergne	Twickenham, London	56,662
13 May 2017	Saracens	28–17	Clermont Auvergne	Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh	55,272

European Challenge Cup Finals

Date	Winner	Score	Runners-up	Venue	Spectators
27 February 1999	AS Montferrand	35–16	CS Bourgoin-Jallieu	Stade de Gerland, Lyon	31,986
22 May 2004	Harlequin F.C.	27–26	AS Montferrand	Madejski Stadium, Reading	13,123
19 May 2007	Clermont Auvergne	22–16	Bath Rugby	Twickenham Stoop, London	10,134
10 May 2019	Clermont Auvergne	36–16	La Rochelle	St James' Park, Newcastle	28,438

France results

French championship

Date	Winner	Runners-up	Score	Venue	Spectators
10 May 1936	RC Narbonne	AS Montferrand	6–3	Stade des Ponts Jumeaux, Toulouse	25,000
2 May 1937	CS Vienne	AS Montferrand	13–7	Stade des Ponts Jumeaux, Toulouse	17,000
17 May 1970	La Voulte Sportif	AS Montferrand	3–0	Stadium Municipal, Toulouse	35,000
28 May 1978	AS Béziers	AS Montferrand	31–9	Parc des Princes, Paris	42,004
28 May 1994	Stade Toulousain	AS Montferrand	22–16	Parc des Princes, Paris	48,000
29 May 1999	Stade Toulousain	AS Montferrand	15–11	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	78,000
9 June 2001	Stade Toulousain	AS Montferrand	34–22	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	78,000
9 June 2007	Stade Français	Clermont Auvergne	23–18	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,654
28 June 2008	Stade Toulousain	Clermont Auvergne	26–20	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,275
6 June 2009	USA Perpignan	Clermont Auvergne	22–13	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,205
29 May 2010	Clermont Auvergne	USA Perpignan	19–6	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,262
13 June 2015	Stade Français	Clermont Auvergne	12–6	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,000
4 June 2017	Clermont Auvergne	RC Toulonnais	22–16	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,771
15 June 2019	Stade Toulousain	Clermont Auvergne	24–18	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,786

Challenge Yves du Manoir

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up
1935	USA Perpignan	3–3, 6–0	AS Montferrand
1938	AS Montferrand	23–10	USA Perpignan
1957	US Dax	6–6*	AS Montferrand
1972	AS Béziers	27–6	AS Montferrand
1976	AS Montferrand	40–12	SC Graulhet
1979	RC Narbonne	9–7	AS Montferrand
1985	RC Nice	21–16	AS Montferrand
1986	AS Montferrand	22–15	FC Grenoble
1994	USA Perpignan	18–3	AS Montferrand

* Note: by virtue of younger players

Coupe de France

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up
1945	SU Agen	14–13	AS Montferrand
1947	Stade Toulousain	14–11	AS Montferrand

Current squad

The Clermont squad for the 2023–24 season is:^{[3] [4]}

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union Yohan Beheregaray Hooker France Robin Couly Hooker France Folau Fainga'a Hooker Australia Étienne Fourcade Hooker France Giorgi Beria Prop France Daniel Bibi Biziwu Prop France Giorgi Dzmanashvili Prop Georgia Étienne Falgoux Prop France Henzo Kiteau Prop France Cristian Ojovan Prop Moldova Rabah Slimani Prop France Chris Gabriel Lock New Zealand Paul Jedrasiak Lock France Tomás Lavanini Lock Argentina Thibaud Lanen Lock France Rob Simmons Lock Australia Lucas Dessaigne Back row France Alexandre Fischer Back row France Pita Gus Sowakula Back row New Zealand Marcos Kremer Back row Argentina Fritz Lee Back row Samoa Killian Tixeront Back row France Peceli Yato Back row Fiji

Player Position Union Sébastien Bézy Scrum-half France Baptiste Jauneau Scrum-half France Enzo Sanga Scrum-half France Anthony Belleau Fly-half France Jules Plisson Fly-half France Benjamin Urdapilleta Fly-half Argentina Léon Darricarrère Centre France Pierre Fouyssac Centre France Julien Hériteau Centre France George Moala Centre Tonga Irae Simone Centre Australia Bautista Delguy Wing Argentina Marvin O'Connor Wing France Alivereti Raka Wing France Thomas Rozière Wing France Joris Jurand Fullback France Alex Newsome Fullback Australia

Espoirs squad

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union Jean-Maxence Jules-Rosette Hooker France Djalil Agueni Prop France Thomas Duchene Prop France Levan Ezieshvili Prop Georgia Matheo Frisach Prop France Jean-Yves Liufau Prop France Ateli Tuisamoa Prop France River Tukino Prop New Zealand Giga Tutisani Prop Georgia Rémy Lanen Lock France Tom Belkessa Back row France Baptiste Britz Back row France Antoine Chalus Back row France Giorgi Gergedava Back row Georgia Piero Gritti Back row Italy Cyriac Guilly Back row France Lucas Oudard Back row France Hugo Sarrasin Back row France Yoan Tuataane Back row France

Player Position Union Jules Bousquet Scrum-half France Davit Khuroshvili Scrum-half Georgia Theo Giral Fly-half France Loukas Guilhot Fly-half France Lionel Meermans Fly-half France Mathys Belaubre Centre France Yerim Fall Centre France Anthony Favier Centre France Gaspard Robbe Centre France Beltran Ortega Wing Spain Viliame Tutuvuli Wing Fiji Amona Artaud Fullback France François Carlo Mey Fullback Italy

Notable former players

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See also

• List of rugby union clubs in France
• Rugby union in France

References

External links

• (in French) ASM Clermont Auvergne Official website
• (in French) ASM Rugby supporters club web site