Stade Gilbert Brutus

Stade Gilbert Brutus

Location	Perpignan, France
Coordinates	42°43′23″N 2°53′6.7″E
Owner	Fédération Francaise de Rugby à Treize
Capacity	13,000
Surface	Grass
Construction
Opened	1962
Expanded	2005, 2007 & 2011
Tenants
Catalans Dragons (2007-present)

Stade Gilbert Brutus is a rugby league stadium located in Perpignan, in the south of France. It is the permanent home of the Catalans Dragons.

On Monday 11 November 2013, the stadium will host France's 2013 Rugby League World Cup Group B match with Samoa.

History

The Stade Gilbert Brutus was, during the 1970s and 1980s a heavily used ground by both rugby league and rugby union clubs in the Catalan area of Perpignan. During the 1970s it would undergo its first set of constructions with the installation of stands with seating, however unconventional seating was put into place that featured no back support and this seating is still used today. It was previously the home ground of former rugby league club XIII Catalan.

Expansion

Prior to 2007 the Stade Gilbert Brutus could only hold a total of 4,200 individuals and contained 900 seats; this was deemed inadequate for the Catalans Dragons, so the Dragons decided upon using the Stade Aimé Giral for 2006. It had always been the Catalan clubs plan to use Gilbert Brutus as their home ground prior to gaining admission into Super League and so construction to the stadium began in 2006 with the aim of bringing the Stadium to a total capacity of 14,000.

The tribune Guasch-Laborde

Whilst the Catalans Dragons were playing at the alternative stadium, the first phase of reconstruction started at their official ground. This first stage included the construction of two covered, all-seater stands, one of which featuring hospitality suites. By the end of the 2006 season, the reconstruction was finished, and Catalans moved back into the stadium for the 2007 season. Further construction is planned to begin in February 2010, bringing the Stade Gilbert Brutus to a total capacity of between 11,500 and 13,000, with three all-seater stands. Development of a fourth stand is unlikely given the ground's proximity to several council buildings at that side of the field.

Rugby League Test Matches

List of rugby league Test and World Cup matches played at Stade Gilbert Brutus.

Test#	Date	Result	Attendance
1	11 March 1962	France def. Great Britain 23-13	12,500
2	2 December 1962	France def. Great Britain 17-12	12,500
3	8 March 1964	Great Britain def. France 11-5	4,326
4	6 December 1964	France def Great Britain 18-8	7,150
5	28 November 1965	France def. New Zealand 11-6	9,000
6	16 January 1966	France def. Great Britain 18-13	7,255
7	25 January 1970	Wales def. France 15-11	11,000
8	11 November 1971	New Zealand def. France 27-11	3,581
9	29 October 1972*	Great Britain def. Australia 27-21	6,324
10	8 March 1964	Great Britain def. France 11-5	4,326
11	9 December 1973	Australia def. France 21-9	5,109
12	19 January 1975**	England def. France 11-9	7,950
13	26 October 1975	Australia def. France 41-2	10,440
14	23 November 1980	France def. New Zealand 6-5	6,000
15	7 December 1985♦	New Zealand def. France 20-0	5,000
16	30 November 1986	Australia def. France 44-2	6,000
17	18 March 1990	Great Britain def. France 8-4	6,000
18	9 December 1990♦♦	Australia def. France 34-10	3,428
19	27 January 1991♦♦	Great Britain def. France 45-10	3,965
20	16 February 1992	Great Britain def. France 30-12	5,688
21	13 December 1992	Wales def. France 19-18	3,700
22	27 October 2007	France def. Scotland 46-16	7,000
23	29 October 2011	France def. Scotland 46-10	10,313
24	11 November 2013†	Samoa def. France 22-6	11,576

* Match played as part of the 1972 World Cup.
** Match played as part of the 1975 World Cup.
♦ Match played as part of the 1985-1988 World Cup.
♦♦ Matches played as part of the 1989-1992 World Cup.
† Match played as part of the 2013 World Cup.

External links

Official websites

• Stade Gilbert Brutus @ catalansdragons.com