Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée

Full name	Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée
Founded	1907 (1907)
Location	Narbonne, France
Ground(s)	Parc des Sports Et de l'Amitié (Capacity: 12,000)
President	Bernard Archilla
Coach(es)	Christian Labit, Steve Kefu and Sébastien Buada
League(s)	Nationale
2022–23	7th
1st kit 2nd kit
Official website
www.rcnm.com

Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée (also known as RCNM) is a French rugby union club that play in the second-level Pro D2.

They are based in Narbonne in Occitania. They were founded in 1907. They play at Parc des Sports Et de l'Amitié (capacity 12,000). They wear orange and black.

History

RC Narbonne were established in 1907. The club's first appearance in the domestic championship final came in May 1932, where they faced Lyon in Bordeaux. However, Narbonne were not able to capture their first title, as Lyon would go on to win the final 9 points to three. The following season Narbonne again made it to the final of the league, and once again, Lyon were their opponents. Again played in Bordeaux, Lyon were victorious once again, defeating Narbonne 10 points to three. However, by 1936 Narbonne were once again finalists of the French championship, and on May 10 in Toulouse they defeated Montferrand 6 points to three, claiming their first ever championship.

In 1967 Narbonne contested the final of the Challenge Yves du Manoir, playing FC Lourdes (the 1966 Challenge Yves du Manoir champions). FC Lourdes held onto their title, defeating Narbonne 9 points to three. However the following season, Narbonne were again finalists, and won their first Challenge Yves du Manoir title, defeating Dax 14 points to six.

The 1970s were another successful era for RC Narbonne. In 1973 Narbonne captured their first Challenge Yves du Manoir title since the 1968 season, defeating Béziers 13 points to six. 1974 was a great season for Narbonne; they successfully defended their Challenge Yves du Manoir title by defeating CA Brive in the final, they were also runners-up in the main French championship, being defeated by their 1973 Challenge Yves du Manoir opponents AS Béziers (16 points to 14). In 1978 Narbonne again won the Challenge Yves du Manoir, being awarded the title after drawing 19-all with AS Béziers due to them scoring more tries. 1979 was a very successful year for Narbonne; they were able to hold on to their Challenge Yves du Manoir title, defeating AS Montferrand 9 points to seven, as well as the Challenge Yves du Manoir, Narbonne won the French championship (for the first time since 1936), defeating Stade Bagnérais 10 to nil at Parc des Princes in the final.

Narbonne would also win a number of honours during the 1980s. The club were runners-up in the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1982, losing to US Dax 19 points to 22 in the final. Narbonne won it again in 1984, defeating Toulouse 17 points to 13 in the final. In 1985 Narbonne won the Coupe de France, defeating AS Béziers 28 to 27 after extra time. In 1989 Narbonne won the Challenge Yves du Manoir again, defeating Biarritz 18 points to 12. The club won it again in 1990, defeating Grenoble 24 to 19 in the final. Narbonne made it three in a row after winning the 1991 Challenge Yves du Manoir, defeating CA Bègles 24 to 19 in the final game. Narbonne came close to winning the Challenge Yves du Manoir four times in a row, but lost to SU Agen 23-18 in the final. In 2001 Narbonne were runners-up in the European Challenge Cup, losing to the Harlequins 42 to 33 in the final.

The Club has been owned by an Australian Consortium since 2012. The consortium includes Bob Dwyer, Rocky Elsom, Pete O'Connell and Chris Bayman. RCNM made the finals of ProD2 in 2013/14 season losing narrowly to SG Agen. This was achieved with the smallest player budget in the League^[1] and the innovation in recruitment, preparation and training enabled the club to perform well above expectation.

Honours

• French championship:
  • Champions: 1936, 1979
  • Runners-up: 1932, 1933, 1974
• European Challenge Cup:
  • Runners-up: 2001
• Challenge Yves du Manoir:
  • Champions: 1968, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991
  • Runners-up: 1967, 1982, 1992
• Coupe de France:
  • Champions: 1985

Finals results

Current standings

Current squad

The Narbonne squad for 2022–23 season is:^[3]

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

Player Position Union Aurélien Blanc Hooker France Christophe David Hooker France Jordan Rochier Hooker France Sylvain Abadie Prop France Mohamed Boughanmi Prop France Theo Castinel Prop France Pascal Cotet Prop France Vakhtang Jintcharadze Prop Georgia Matthieu Loudet Prop France Jules Martinez Prop France Geoffrey Moise Prop Portugal Pierre Causse Lock France Daniel Faleafa Lock Tonga Aston Fortuin Lock South Africa Mohamed Kbaier Lock France Manuel Plaza Lock Argentina Valentin Sese Lock France Dennis Visser Lock South Africa Baptiste Abescat Back row France Carl Axtens Back row New Zealand Paul Belzons Back row France Aleksandre Burduli Back row Georgia Bill Caffo Back row France Louis-Benoit Madaule Back row France Flavien Nouhaillaguet Back row France

Player Position Union Luke Campbell Scrum-half New Zealand Jeremy Chaput Scrum-half France Christopher Kaiser Scrum-half France Pierrick Nova Scrum-half France Lucas Meret Fly-half France Joris Pialot Fly-half France Jason Robertson Fly-half New Zealand Saia Fekitoa Centre Tonga Lucas Lebraud Centre France Apimeleki Nawaqatabu Centre Fiji Pierre Nueno Centre Spain Jamie-Jerry Taulagi Centre Samoa Etienne Ducom Wing France Pierre-Hugo Ducom Wing France Guillaume Namy Wing France Kimami Sitauti Wing Australia Save Totovosau Wing Fiji Boris Goutard Fullback France Pierre Justes 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 Martin Vaca Hooker Argentina Benoit Fontanelle Prop France Avto Gogiashvili Prop Georgia Leon Gourmand Prop France Dylan Hoyeau Prop France Odran Peron Prop France Paul Tarby Lock France Kamil Bouregba Back row France Dorian Peron Back row France

Player Position Union Pablo Barbaste Scrum-half France Leo Ducasse Scrum-half France Cyprien Saillard Scrum-half France Theo Gomez Fly-half France Louis Balfet Centre France Luc Brocas Centre France Theo Mias Centre France Baptiste Tsague Wing France Jason Pupunat Fullback France Luca Serrano Fullback France

Notable former players

See also

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

References

External links

• (in French) Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée Official website