USA Perpignan

USA Perpignan

Full name	Union sportive arlequins Perpignan-Roussillon
Founded	1902; 122 years ago (1902) (as AS Perpignan) 1919; 105 years ago (1919) (as US Perpignan) 1933; 91 years ago (1933) (as USA Perpignan)
Location	Perpignan, France
Ground(s)	Stade Aimé Giral (Capacity: 14,593)
President	François Rivière
Coach(es)	Franck Azéma
Captain(s)	Mathieu Acebes
League(s)	Top 14
2021–22	13th (Relegation playoff winner)
Team kit 2nd kit
Official website
www.usap.fr

Union Sportive Arlequins Perpignanais, also referred to as USA Perpignan or Perpignan, is a French professional rugby union club founded in 1933 and based in Perpignan, in the Pyrénées-Orientales department. They compete in the Top 14, France's elite division of rugby.

The club is a result of a merger between US Perpignan and Arlequins Perpignanais in 1933. US Perpignan was also born from a union of merging clubs AS Perpignan (founded in 1902) and Stade Olympien Perpignanais, which took place in 1919.^[1]

Its home ground is the 14,593-capacity

for "The Blood and Golds").

History

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Early years

One of the two merging clubs was established in 1902 as AS Perpignan. It would be in 1914 that the club would go on to make its first ever final appearance. On 3 May, Perpignan defeated Stadoceste Tarbais 8–7 at Stade des Ponts Jumeaux in Toulouse in front of 15,000 people. 19-year-old fly-half Aimé Giral converted a late try and went on to become captain. 14 months after their victory, Aimé Giral died alongside seven other members of the team at the outbreak of WW1^[3] and, to honour their sacrifice, it was decided to colour USAP jersey like a Poilu uniform and to name the stadium after Giral.

Four years after the championship in 1914, the club was renamed as US Perpignan after a merging with Stade Olympien Perpignanais. Under the new club name, US Perpignan made it to the final of the French championship three seasons after the change. On 17 April 1921, Perpignan defeated Stade Toulousain 5–0 at Parc des Sports de Sauclières in Béziers and thus claiming their second championship. Three seasons later, the finalists of 1921 would meet again in the final of 1924, though this time Toulouse won the game 3–0 in Bordeaux.

The success continued throughout the 1920s, and following the final defeat of the 1924 season, US Perpignan were able to make it to the final of the 1925 season. They faced US Carcassonne in Narbonne, and defeated them 5–0 to win the 1925 Championship. For the third season in a row, US Perpignan made it to the final. The opponents were Stade Toulousain once again, the two sides had each defeated each other once in a final in recent years. Toulouse won 11–0 in Bordeaux. After their prominence in the mid-1920s, Perpignan's final appearance in 1926 was their last for nearly a decade.

Perpignan's next final appearance came in 1935 against Biarritz at Stade des Ponts Jumeaux in Toulouse on 12 May, with Biarritz winning 3–0. That season they also won the Challenge Yves du Manoir. Three seasons later Perpignan were again involved in the Championship final against Biarritz. The final was played on 8 May, and this time, Perpignan defeated Biarritz, winning 11–6 to claim their first Championship since 1921. They were also runners-up of the Challenge Yves-du-Manoir that same season as well.

The success continued throughout the late 1930s, with Perpignan again being runners-up of the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1936. It was also the 1936 season that Biarritz and Perpignan would face off in the Championship. Both of Perpignan's last two final appearances were against Biarritz, and both Perpignan and Biarritz had won one each against each other. The final took place on 30 April, and Biarritz turned out to be victorious, defeating Perpignan 6–0. Two years later, Perpignan were in the final of the Challenge Yves du Manoir, but became runners-up.

Their next final appearance would not be until the season of 1944. Perpignan played Aviron Bayonnais at Parc des Princes in Paris on 26 March to decide who would be the champions of France. Perpignan won, defeating Aviron Bayonnais 20–5, claiming their first Championship since 1938.

Perpignan would have to wait another eight years until they would make it to the final again. In the 1952 season, Perpignan met FC Lourdes in the final at Stadium Municipal in Toulouse, where they went down to FC Lourdes 20–11. However, both sides would meet in another final three years later to decide the 1955 Championship. This time Perpignan emerged victorious, defeating FC Lourdes 11–6 in Bordeaux. Perpignan also won the Challenge Yves du Manoir during the 1955 season, and were runners-us the following year as well.

Perpignan won the

They would next appear in the final in 1998, where they went down to Stade Français 34–7 in Paris in front of 78,000 people.

In 2002, the club entered into a partnership with the University of Barcelona Rugby Union Club, hence renaming them USAP Barcelona, which compete in the División de Honor, the national Championship in Spain. Perpignan made it to the 2004 final, where they met Stade Français, who defeated them in the 1998 final. Stade Français won again, 38–20 at Stade de France in front of 79,722 people.

In European competition, Perpignan reached the final stage in 2003 (losing 21–17 to Toulouse in Dublin Lansdowne Road) after losing a 1999 semi-final in Toulouse Stadium against Colomiers. They were beaten in the quarter-finals in Lansdowne Road again in 2006 by eventual winners Munster.

They signed

Their season ended by progressing into the Top 14 semi-final with a 25–21 win over Stade Français and eventually winning it with a fantastic 22–13 win over ASM Clermont Auvergne in the final. In 2010, they advanced to the final again against Clermont, but they saw Les Jaunards end decades of frustration by winning their first championship final in 11 tries.

In 2011 they signed a twinning agreement with FC Barcelona of Spain, which proposes USAP to be promoted through FC Barcelona.

Club honours

• Top 14
  • Champions (4^[a]): 1913–14 (as AS Perpignan), 1920–21 (as US Perpignan), 1924–25 (as US Perpignan), 1937–38, 1943–44, 1954–55, 2008–09
  • Runners-up: 1923–24 (as US Perpignan), 1925–26 (as US Perpignan), 1934–35, 1938–39, 1951–52, 1976–77, 1997–98, 2003–04, 2009–10
• Challenge Yves du Manoir
  • Champions (3): 1935, 1955, 1994
  • Runners-up: 1936, 1937, 1938, 1956, 1965
• Heineken Cup
  • Runners-up: 2002–03
• Pro D2
  • Champions (2): 2017–18, 2020–21

Notes

Finals results

French championship

Date	Winner	Runner-up	Score	Venue	Attendance
3 May 1914	AS Perpignan	Stadoceste Tarbais	8–7	Stade des Ponts Jumeaux, Toulouse	15,000
17 April 1921	US Perpignan	Stade Toulousain	5–0	Parc des Sports de Sauclières, Béziers	20,000
27 April 1924	Stade Toulousain	US Perpignan	3–0	Parc Lescure, Bordeaux	20,000
3 May 1925	US Perpignan	AS Carcassonne	5–0	Maraussan, Narbonne	20,000
2 May 1926	Stade Toulousain	US Perpignan	11–0	Parc Lescure, Bordeaux	25.000
12 May 1935	Biarritz Olympique	USA Perpignan	3–0	Stade des Ponts Jumeaux, Toulouse	23,000
8 May 1938	USA Perpignan	Biarritz Olympique	11–6	Stade des Ponts Jumeaux, Toulouse	24,600
30 April 1939	Biarritz Olympique	USA Perpignan	6–0 AP	Stade des Ponts Jumeaux, Toulouse	23,000
26 March 1944	USA Perpignan	Aviron Bayonnais	20–5	Parc des Princes, Paris	35,000
4 May 1952	FC Lourdes	USA Perpignan	20–11	Stadium Municipal, Toulouse	32,500
22 May 1955	USA Perpignan	FC Lourdes	11–6	Parc Lescure, Bordeaux	39,764
29 May 1977	AS Béziers	USA Perpignan	12–4	Parc des Princes, Paris	41,821
16 May 1998	Stade Français	USA Perpignan	34–7	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	78,000
26 June 2004	Stade Français	USA Perpignan	38–20	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	79,722
6 June 2009	USA Perpignan	ASM 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

Heineken Cup

Date	Winner	Runner-up	Score	Venue	Attendance
24 May 2003	Stade Toulousain	USA Perpignan	22–17	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	28,600

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

Updated to match(es) played on 21 April 2024. Source: Top 14

Current squad

For player movements before or during the 2023–24 season, see List of 2023–24 Top 14 transfers § Perpignan.

The Perpignan squad for the 2023–24 season is:^{[5] [6]}

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

Player Position Union Seilala Lam Hooker Samoa Victor Montgaillard Hooker France Ignacio Ruiz Hooker Argentina Lucas Velarte Hooker France Pietro Ceccarelli Prop Italy Xavier Chiocci Prop France Akato Fakatika Prop France Vakhtang Jintcharadze Prop Georgia Arthur Joly Prop France Sacha Lotrian Prop France Nemo Roelofse Prop South Africa Giorgi Tetrashvili Prop Georgia Shahn Eru Lock Cook Islands Tristan Labouteley Lock France Victor Moreaux Lock France Marvin Orie Lock South Africa Mathieu Tanguy Lock France Posolo Tuilagi Lock France Lucas Bachelier Back row France Alan Brazo Back row France So'otala Fa'aso'o Back row Samoa Kélian Galletier Back row France Joaquín Oviedo Back row Argentina Patrick Sobéla Back row France Jaco van Tonder Back row South Africa Matthieu Ugena Back row France

Player Position Union Sadek Deghmache Scrum-half France Tom Ecochard Scrum-half France Tommaso Allan Fly-half Italy Jake McIntyre Fly-half Australia Mattéo Rodor Fly-half France Jean-Pascal Barraque Centre France Alivereti Duguivalu Centre Fiji Jerónimo de la Fuente Centre Argentina Apisai Naqalevu Centre Fiji Afusipa Taumoepeau Centre Tonga Mathieu Acebes Wing France Ali Crossdale Wing England Louis Dupichot Wing France Eddie Sawailau Wing Fiji Tavite Veredamu Wing France Lucas Dubois Fullback France Théo Forner Fullback France Boris Goutard Fullback France

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 Mathys Lotrian Hooker France Merab Macharashvili Hooker Georgia Christophe Marchand Prop France Simone Marcaggi Prop Italy Rémy Bonnet Lock France Bastien Chinarro Lock France Samuel M'Foudi Lock France Guillaume Marin Lock France Alessandro Ortombina Lock Italy Taniela Ramasibana Lock Fiji Antoine Bouthier Back row France Ewan Bertheau Back row France Valentin Moro Back row France Ronald Sharma Back row Fiji

Player Position Union Leon Momicchioli Scrum-half Italy Lenny Viola Scrum-half France Alexandre Perez Fly-half France Nicola Bozzo Centre Italy Job Poulet Centre France Keanu Desrues Wing France Lilian Pichon Fullback France Setareki Toganiyadrava Fullback Fiji Yoan Vinas Fullback France

Notable former players

This list of "famous" or "notable" people has no clear exclusion criteria. Please help to define clear inclusion criteria and edit the list to contain only subjects that fit those criteria. (June 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message )

• Federico Martín Aramburú
• Bautista Delguy
• Rimas Álvarez Kairelis
• Alejandro Allub
• José Orengo
• Sebastian Bozzi
• Ryan Cross
• Daniel Herbert
• Justin Purll
• Manny Edmonds
• Robins Tchale-Watchou
• Mike James
• Phil Murphy
• Alex Brown
• Perry Freshwater
• Richard Haughton
• Dan Luger
• Luke Narraway
• Tim Stimpson
• Tevita Cavubati
• Samueli Naulu
• Alipate Ratini
• Eroni Sau
• Ben Volavola
• Watisoni Votu
• Christophe André
• Puig Aubert
• Franck Azéma
• Mathieu Barrau
• Armand Batlle
• Noël Brazès
• Pascal Bomati
• Benoît Bourrust
• Élie Brousse
• Gilbert Brutus
• Benoît Cabello
• Jacques Cabero
• Didier Camberabero
• Daniel Camiade
• Julien Candelon
• Florian Cazenave
• Frédéric Cermeno
• Damien Chouly
• Georges Coste
• Joseph Crespo
• Marc Dal Maso
• Vincent Debaty
• Joseph Desclaux
• Sébastien Descons
• Nans Ducuing
• Sylvain Dupuy
• Nicolas Durand
• Jérôme Fillol
• Julien Fritz
• Jean Galia
• Charles Geli
• Aimé Giral
• Bernard Goutta
• Raoul Got
• Paul Goze
• Jean-Philippe Grandclaude
• Guilhem Guirado
• Sofiane Guitoune
• Raphaël Ibañez
• Jean-Francois Imbernon
• Melvyn Jaminet
• David Janin
• Jacques Jorda
• Thierry Lacroix
• Mickaël Ladhuie
• Julien Laharrague
• Nicolas Laharrague
• Gregory Le Corvec
• Marc Lièvremont
• Matthieu Lièvremont
• Thomas Lièvremont
• Camille Lopez
• Ludovic Loustau
• Brice Mach
• Lionel Mallier
• David Marty
• Nicolas Mas
• Jo Maso
• Sami Mavinga
• Maxime Mermoz
• Joffrey Michel
• Romain Millo-Chluski
• Olivier Olibeau
• Vincent Planté
• Christophe Porcu
• Jerome Porical
• Laurent Sempéré
• Jérôme Schuster
• Farid Sid
• Jean-Marc Souverbie
• Romain Taofifénua
• Sébastien Taofifénua
• Jérôme Thion
• Sébastien Vahaamahina
• Yohann Vivalda
• Quentin Walcker
• Dimitri Basilaia
• Giorgi Jgenti
• Davit Kubriashvili
• Mick O'Driscoll
• Paddy Jackson
• Tommaso Allan
• Tommaso Benvenuti
• Ramiro Pez
• Dan Carter
• Scott Robertson
• Eric Sione
• Răzvan Mavrodin
• Marius Țincu
• Ovidiu Tonița
• Johan van Heerden
• Rudi Coetzee
• Gavin Hume
• Steve Meyer
• Wandile Mjekevu
• Percy Montgomery
• Gert Muller
• Jacques-Louis Potgieter
• Kirill Kulemin
• Manu Leiataua
• Henry Tuilagi
• Chris Cusiter
• Nathan Hines
• Alasdair Strokosch
• Raphaël Bastide
• Mathieu Bélie
• David Mélé
• Lifeimi Mafi
• Tevita Mailau
• Sione Piukala
• Kisi Pulu
• Sona Taumalolo
• Viliami Vaki
• William Leon Jefferson
• Richard Parks
• James Hook
• Luke Charteris

See also

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

Notes

References

1. ^ "Historique et Palmarès du Club de Rugby USAP". USAPassociation.com (in French). Retrieved 15 September 2022.
2. ^ Perrin, Thibault (1 September 2018). "De retour en Top 14, l'USAP pourrait faire une infidélité à Aimé-Giral". Le Rugbynistère (in French). Retrieved 15 September 2022.
3. ^ "USAP and Stade Aimé Giral". www.anglophone-direct.com. 2 May 2014.
4. ^ Pryor, Matthew (28 June 2008). "Dan Carter joins Perpignan". The Times. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
5. ^ "Notre équipe" (in French). USAP.fr. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
6. ^ "Perpignan squad for season 2023/2024". All Rugby. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.

External links

• (in French) USA Perpignan Official website
• (in French) Official fans site of Perpignan in Paris
• Data, results, etc from ITS rugby