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 AS Montferrandaise, which was founded in 1911 and adopted that name in 1922. 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 of France.
The team plays at the Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin (capacity 18,030) and wears yellow and blue, which are the colours of Michelin, the tyre manufacturer, which is based in Montferrand and whose founder, Marcel Michelin, established the club for its workers before World War I. L'ASM, as they are also called, are the traditional underdog, always cited among early favourites and praised for their style of play, but never winning come spring. They have reached the French Championship final eleven times, until their eleventh trip in 2010 to the championship. The perennial bridesmaids in their 100th year as a club broke through and conquered France, beating Perpignan in a rematch of the 2009 final. Couret, Jean-Paul (2010-05-30). "Clermont beat Perpignan to end 10-final jinx in Top 14". Reuters (Thomson Reuters). http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKLDE64S0DH20100529. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
[edit] History
The club was established in 1911 as AS Michelin, though they changed their name to AS Montferrandaise in 1922. The club was started by Marcel Michelin, the son of André Michelin, founder of the Michelin tyre manufacturer. 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. However 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 Coupe de France on two occasions, in 1945 and 1947. The club lost on both occasions, by one point, 14 to 13 to SU Agen in 1945, and then 14 to 11 against Toulouse in 1947. It would be another 10 years until the club featured in another competition final; losing to US Dax in the 1957 Challenge Yves du Manoir. The club became a force during the 1970s, starting in 1970 with a 3 points to nil championship loss to La Voulte Sportif. The club then contested the Challenge Yves du Manoir twice in a row over the 1972–73 seasons; losing both finals, against AS Béziers and Narbonne respectively. They then won the competition in 1976, defeating SC Graulhet 40 points to 12. 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. The club contested two finals in the 1999 season as well, the French championship and the European Challenge Cup. They won the European Challenge Cup, defeating fellow French club CS Bourgoin-Jallieu 35 points to 16. However they lost the domestic final, being defeated by Toulouse 15 points to 11. The club would meet Toulouse again in the season final of 2001, with Toulouse winning 34 points to 22. In 2004 they contested the European Challenge Cup again, though they lost to English club Harlequins, by one point, 27 to 26.
[edit] Honours
Statue of
Vercingetorix decorated with the flag of ASM Clermont Auvergne after the Top 14 championship of 2010.
- TOP 14:
- Winners (1): 2010
- Runners-up (10): 1936, 1937, 1970, 1978, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2009
- 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 Challenge Cup:
[edit] Finals results
[edit] 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 |
ASM Clermont Auvergne |
23–18 |
Stade de France, Saint-Denis |
79,654 |
| 28 June 2008 |
Stade Toulousain |
ASM Clermont Auvergne |
26–20 |
Stade de France, Saint-Denis |
79,275 |
| 6 June 2009 |
USA Perpignan |
ASM Clermont Auvergne |
22–13 |
Stade de France, Saint-Denis |
79,205 |
| 29 May 2010 |
ASM Clermont Auvergne |
USA Perpignan |
19–6 |
Stade de France, Saint-Denis |
79,262 |
[edit] Challenge Yves du Manoir
[edit] Coupe de France
[edit] European Challenge Cup
[edit] Current squad
- For the 2011–12 season
Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under IRB eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-IRB nationality.
[edit] Internationally Capped Players
[edit] Transfers 2011/2012
[edit] Players In
[edit] Players Out
[edit] Notable former players
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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| Related articles |
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