USA Perpignan

USAP

Full name	Union sportive arlequins Perpignan-Roussillon
Founded	1902 (1902)
Location	Perpignan, France
Ground(s)	Stade Aimé Giral (Capacity: 14,593)
President	François Rivière
Coach(es)	Patrick Arlettaz Perry Freshwater Christian Lanta
Captain(s)	Tom Ecochard
League(s)	Top 14
2018–19	14th (relegated to Rugby Pro D2)
1st kit 2nd kit 3rd kit
Official website
fr.usap.fr

Union Sportive des Arlequins Perpignanais generally referred to as USA Perpignan, is a French rugby union club that plays in the city of Perpignan in Pyrénées-Orientales in the south of France. The club currently competes in the Top 14, the first level of the French league system.

The club was founded in 1902 as AS Perpignan, renamed US Perpignan in 1919 and adopted its present name in 1933. Perpignan plays at Stade Aimé Giral (capacity 14,593). The club wears red and gold (Sang et Or = Blood and Gold) colours derived from the Catalan Senyera.

History

Early years

The club 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 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. 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 fans at a home game

Perpignan's next final appearance came in 1935 against Biarritz at Stade des Ponts Jumeaux in Toulouse on the 12th of 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.

USA Perpignan during a Heineken Cup match

Perpignan won the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1965, but made their first final appearance 20 years after 1955, to decide the 1977 season Championship. They met AS Béziers in the final, who defeated Perpignan 12–4 at Parc des Princes. Perpignan won the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1994,

Professional era

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 All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter, widely regarded as one of the world's best players, on a six-month deal starting from December 2008. Carter's stint at Perpignan, however, ended prematurely when he tore an Achilles tendon.

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: 1914, 1921, 1925, 1938, 1944, 1955, 2009 (7 times)
  • Runners-up: 1924, 1926, 1935, 1939, 1952, 1977, 1998, 2004, 2010 (9 times)
• Challenge Yves du Manoir
  • Champions: 1935, 1955, 1994 (3 times)
  • Runners-up:1936, 1937, 1938, 1956, 1965 (5 times)
• Heineken Cup
  • Runners-ups: 2003
• Pro D2
  • Champions: 2018

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 squad

For player movements before or during the 2018–19 season, see List of 2018–19 Top 14 transfers § Perpignan.

The squad for the 2017–18 season is:

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

Player Position Union Raphaël Carbou Hooker France Seilala Lam Hooker Samoa Manu Leiataua Hooker Samoa Yassin Boutemanni Prop France Alex Brown Prop England Sylvain Charlet Prop France Enzo Forletta Prop France Gert Muller Prop South Africa Eric Sione Prop New Zealand Berend Botha Lock South Africa Shahn Eru Lock New Zealand Masalosalo Tutaia Lock Samoa Johan van Heerden Lock Romania Karl Chateau Flanker France Genesis Mamea Lemalu Flanker New Zealand Alan Brazo Number 8 France

Player Position Union Sadek Deghmache Scrum-half France Tom Ecochard Scrum-half France David Mélé Scrum-half Spain Enzo Selponi Fly-half France Adrea Cocagi Centre Fiji Sione Piukala Centre Tonga Jonathan Bousquet Wing France Wandile Mjekevu Wing South Africa Eroni Sau Wing Fiji Eddie Sawailau Wing Fiji Jean-Bernard Pujol Wing France Mathieu Acebes Fullback France Julien Farnoux Fullback France

• Notes:

See also

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

External links

• Template:Link language USA Perpignan Official website
• Template:Link language Official fans site of Perpignan in Paris
• Data, results, etc from ITS rugby