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Stade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup three times - in 1996, 2003 and 2005. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps and Munster Rugby respectively. Stade Toulousain have also won 16 French Championship titles. Their home ground is the Stade Ernest-Wallon. However championship big matchs and Heineken Cup games can be played at the Stadium Municipal de Toulouse. The club colours are red and black.
[edit] History
[edit] Early years
The club was founded in 1890 as Stade Olympien des Étudiants Toulousains and initially fielded both rugby union and soccer teams. In 1903 the rugby union team made its first appearance in the final of the French championship but lost to Stade Français. In 1904 the soccer team became the first non-Spanish team to play FC Barcelona. Between 1904 and 1910 the two clubs played each other seven times in friendlies [1]. In 1907, following a merger, the club briefly became known as Stade Olympien des Étudiants Velo Sport de Toulouse. However by 1908 the club was known by its current name. Between 1905 and 1914 the football team won 10 regional championships, but it was the rugby union team that brought the club its greatest successes and in 1912 they won their first French Championship title.
After wining its first national title in 1912, Stade Toulousain had to wait until 1922 before it won its second. However the 1920s were a golden era for the club. Their first final action in the 1920s was in 1921, when they were defeated USA Perpignan. Despite losing in 1921, the side went on to win the 1922, 1923, 1924, 1926 and 1927 championships.
[edit] 1930s to 1950s
The following decades were relatively quiet after such a dominant era during the 1920s. Stade Toulousain would not make it to any grand finals during the 1930s, and it would not be until the late 1940s when they would return. However they did contest the Challenge Yves du Manoir with RC Toulon in 1934, though it ended in a nil-all tie and both teams were winners. The club made it to the final of the 1947 championship, and claimed the premiership, beating SU Agen, 10 to 3. However, no such championships followed, the club was again relatively quiet on the championship. It was 22 years in the waiting; Toulouse made it to the final, but were defeated by the CA Bègles club.
[edit] 1970s to 1980s
In 1971 Toulouse contested the Challenge Yves du Manoir against US Dax, losing 18 to 8. Eleven years after the CA Bègles defeat, the club was again disappointed in the final, being defeated by AS Béziers in the championship game of 1980. The latter end of the decade was however, reminiscent of the 1920s sides. Toulouse were again contesting the Challenge Yves du Manoir for the 1984 season, though they lost to RC Narbonne 17 to 3. They did however claim their first championship since 1947, defeating RC Toulon in the 1985 final. The following season saw them successfully defend their championship, defeating SU Agen in the final. After a number of defeats in the Challenge Yves du Manoir finals, Toulouse defeated US Dax to win the 1988 competition. Both Toulon and Agen won the following premierships (1987 and 1988) but Toulouse won another championship in 1989.
[edit] 1990s to present
The dominance continued in the 1990s, starting with a grand final loss in 1991, and a Challenge Yves du Manoir championship in 1993, defeating Castres 13 to 8 in the final. The mid-1990s saw Stade Toulousain become a major force yet again, as the club claimed four premierships in a row, winning the championship in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997, as well as the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1995. The club emmulated its success in the European Rugby Cup, becoming the first ever champions in the 1995-96 season.
The late 1990s and the 2000s saw the club again reach great heights. The club won the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1998, defeating Stade Français Paris, and the 1999 championship as well as the 2001 championship and were runners-up in the 2003 season, losing to Stade Français in the final. As the club had done in the mid 1990s, Stade Toulousain replicated this success in the European Rugby Cup, winning the 2002-03 championship and the 2004-05 championship, making them the only club to ever win the title three times. Stade Toulousain is also the only French club to have taken part in all the editions of Heineken Cup since its creation (12, with the 2006-2007 season). The club made it to the final of the 2005-06 Top 14, and despite only trailing Biarritz 9-6 at half time, Toulouse could not prevent a second-half whitewash, eventually going down 40-13.
[edit] Stadium
Toulouse play their home games at the Stade Ernest-Wallon, which was built in the late 1980s and was recently renovated. It has a capacity of 19,000. The stadium however cannot always accommodate all the fans of the Toulouse club. For the larger fixtures, such as championship or Heineken Cup games or play-offs, the fixture may be moved to Stade de Toulouse, which has double capacity, 38,000. The stadium has been used for numerous matches at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
[edit] Honours
see also: Stade Toulousain in Cup Finals
- Heineken Cup:
- Champions: 1996, 2003, 2005
- Runners-up: 2004, 2008
- French Champions:
- Champions: 1912, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1947, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001
- Runners-up: 1903, 1909, 1921, 1969, 1980, 1991, 2003, 2006
- Coupe de l'Espérance:
- Champions: 1916
- Runners-up: 1917
- Challenge Yves du Manoir:
- Champions: 1934, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1998
- Runners-up: 1971 1984
- French Cup:
- Champions: 1946, 1947, 1984
- Runners-up: 1949, 1985
- World Club Championship:
[edit] Soccer
- Champions of Midi:
- Champions: 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914
[edit] European record
Toulouse have a very good European competition record. Since the European Rugby Cups were inaugurated for the 1995-96 season, Toulouse has qualified for the Heineken Cup in every season. The club has the best competition record in the Heineken Cup, more so than any other club in Europe, having won the competition three times.
| Season |
Competition |
Games |
Points |
Notes |
| played |
won |
drawn |
lost |
for |
against |
difference |
| 2006–07 |
Heineken Cup |
6 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
147 |
145 |
2 |
|
| 2005–06 |
Heineken Cup |
7 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
223 |
165 |
58 |
Quarter finalists |
| 2004–05 |
Heineken Cup |
9 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
263 |
144 |
119 |
Champions (defeated Stade Francais) |
| 2003–04 |
Heineken Cup |
9 |
7 |
0 |
2 |
232 |
113 |
119 |
Runners-up (lost to Wasps) |
| 2002–03 |
Heineken Cup |
9 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
308 |
163 |
145 |
Champions (defeated USA Perpignan) |
| 2001–02 |
Heineken Cup |
6 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
151 |
146 |
5 |
|
| 2000–01 |
Heineken Cup |
6 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
171 |
182 |
-11 |
|
| 1999–00 |
Heineken Cup |
8 |
6 |
0 |
2 |
256 |
122 |
134 |
Semi-finalists |
| 1998–99 |
Heineken Cup |
7 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
247 |
118 |
129 |
Semi-finalists |
| 1997–98 |
Heineken Cup |
8 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
273 |
153 |
120 |
Semi-finalists |
| 1996–97 |
Heineken Cup |
6 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
194 |
197 |
-3 |
Semi-finalists |
| 1995–96 |
Heineken Cup |
4 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
123 |
40 |
83 |
Champions (defeated Cardiff) |
[edit] Current squad
[2]
[edit] Notable Former Players
see also Cat:Stade Toulousain rugby union footballers
[edit] Selected former coaches
see also Cat:Stade Toulousain rugby union coaches
[edit] Presidents
- Henri Cazaux : 1954–1957
- André Brouat : 1964–1966
- Henri Fourès : 1966–1973
- Henri Cazaux : 1974–1980
- Jean Fabre : 1980–1989
- Jean-René Bouscatel : 1992–
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ www.rsssf.com
- ^ Nat. shown here indicates sporting nationality as defined by the IRB
