FC Grenoble

FC Grenoble Rugby

Full name	Football Club de Grenoble Rugby
Nickname(s)	FCG
Founded	1892 (1892)
Location	Grenoble, France
Ground(s)	Stade des Alpes (Capacity: 20,068)
President	Marc Chérèque
Coach(es)	Stéphane Glas, Dewald Senekal
League(s)	Top 14
2017–18	Rugby Pro D2, 3rd (promotion finalist/promoted via play-off)
Team kit 2nd kit 3rd kit
Official website
fcgrugby.com

Football Club de Grenoble Alpes Rugby is a French rugby union club which will be playing in Top 14, the top level of the French league system. After a title of champions of the second-level Pro D2 in 2012, Grenoble played 4 seasons in Top 14 before suffering relegation after 2016-17 season. At the end of the 2017-18 Pro D2 season, Grenoble was promoted again to Top 14 for the 2018-19 season, following an promotion playoff win against Top 14 side Oyonnax. Grenoble play most home matches at the Stade des Alpes (capacity 20,068) since 2014-2015. The club's colors are red and blue.

History

FC Grenoble Playing in the Top 14 in 2014

The club was founded in 1892 following the merger of the main clubs in Grenoble in Rhône-Alpes.

After becoming champions of the Alps in 1912, FCG reached the final of the Coupe de l'Espérance (in 1918), which replaced the old championship of France during the First World War. Since then Grenoble have regularly featured in the finals. Grenoble contributed notable players to the original French National Team, among them Edmond Besset and Felix Lasserre and Edmond Vellat. In 1931, Grenoble was one of 14 clubs who left the French Rugby Federation to create their own organization, UFRA.

In 1954, the first team, then coached by Roger Bouvarel, wrote the most beautiful page in the history of the club. FC Grenoble won his first Bouclier de Brennus and became champion of France after a 5-3 victory against the U.S. Cognac.

Champions in 1954 :

With Jean Liénard became coach, Grenoble played the final of the European Champion Clubs' Cup FIRA in 1963.

In 1987, Grenoble won the Challenge Yves du Manoir against the SU Agen on the score of 26-7. This is the second major trophy for the club.

The winners of the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1987 :

The arrival of Jacques Fouroux in control of the team for the 1992–93 season associated with Michel Ringeval marks the beginning of a new era called the Mammoths of Grenoble. Despite overpowering pack Grenoble tilts on the score of 14-11.^[1] A try of Olivier Brouzet is denied to Grenoble^[2] and the decisive try by Gary Whetton was awarded by the referee, Daniel Salles, when in fact the defender Franck Hueber from Grenoble touched down the ball first in his try zone. This error gave the title to Castres. Salles admitted the error 13 years later^[3] .^[4] .^[5]

Players Championship Final in 1993 :

Since then the club has struggled.

Grenoble play the '1999–2000 Heineken Cup in Pool 6.

Team	P	W	D	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts
Northampton	6	5	0	1	19	7	12	184	87	97	10
FC Grenoble	6	3	0	3	13	15	−2	110	140	−30	6
Edinburgh Reivers	6	3	0	3	13	19	−6	112	158	−46	6
Neath	6	1	0	5	13	17	−4	128	149	−21	2

Results

Date	Stadium	Team	Score	Team
19 November	Netherdale, Galashiels	Edinburgh	23 - 18	FC Grenoble
27 November	Lesdiguières, Grenoble	FC Grenoble	20 - 18	Northampton Saints
11 December	The Gnoll, Neath	Neath RFC	43 - 14	FC Grenoble
18 December	Lesdiguières, Grenoble	FC Grenoble	21 - 10	Neath RFC
9 January	Franklin's Gardens, Northampton	Northampton Saints	27 - 16	FC Grenoble
15 January	Lesdiguières, Grenoble	FC Grenoble	21 - 19	Edinburgh

They were relegated to the French second division and came back again.

At the end of 2004–05, they were relegated to the French second division, Rugby Pro D2, after the top level was reduced from sixteen to fourteen teams. However, they were relegated even further, to the amateur Fédérale 1, due to financial problems; an audit of the club’s books revealed debts of €3.64 million as of 30 June 2005.^[6] They earned promotion back to the professional ranks at the first opportunity, and played in Pro D2, in 2006–07; they finished their first season back in ProD2 in fourteenth place (out of sixteen), surviving the drop by one point over Limoges. They ended the 2007–08 season in eighth, close to the play-offs. In 2010–11 Grenoble finished second, losing the play-off semi-final game at home against Union Bordeaux Bègles. In 2011–12 Grenoble finished first, securing their return to the Top 14 for the 2012–13 season. In their first season back in the top flight, they were in contention for a playoff place early in the season, but faded to 11th, still safely above the relegation zone.

Honours

Among the club's honours are the championship of the Top 14 and of the Challenge Yves du Manoir. Its achievements include:^[7][8][9]

• Top 14
  • Champions (1) : 1954
  • Runners-up (1) : 1993
• Coupe de l'Espérance
  • Runners-up (1) : 1918
• French second division:
  • Champions (2) : 1951, 2012
  • Runners-up (2) : 2002, 2018
• Challenge Yves du Manoir:
  • Champions (1) : 1987
  • Runners-up (3) : 1969, 1986, 1990
• Challenge Jean Bouin:
  • Runners-up (2) : 1992, 1994
• French Championship Reserves:
  • Champions (6) : 1921 (Third Team), 1950, 1952, 1953, 1960, 1980 (Nationale B)
  • Runners-up (2) : 1969, 1972
• Cup Frantz-Reichel:
  • Champions (4) : 1981, 1992, 2013, 2014
  • Runners-up (3) : 1989, 1990, 1993
• Challenge complete club:
  • Champions (1) : 1993
• European Champion Clubs' Cup FIRA:
  • Runners-up (1) : 1963

Finals results

Current standings

Current squad

The squad for the 2018–19 season is:^{[10][lower-alpha 1]}

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Duncan Casey Hooker Ireland Etienne Fourcade Hooker France Mike Tadjer Hooker Portugal Halani Aulika Prop Tonga Alexandre Dardet Prop France Beka Gigashvili Prop Georgia Dylan Jacquot Prop France JC Janse van Rensburg Prop South Africa Vazha Kapanadze Prop Georgia Davit Kubriashvili Prop Georgia Mihai Lazăr Prop Romania Ali Oz Prop France Mickaël Capelli Lock France Leva Fifita Lock Tonga Kilian Geraci Lock France Hans N'Kinsi Lock France Francois Uys Lock South Africa Fabien Alexandre Back row France Clément Ancely Back row France Loïc Baradel Back row France Antonin Berruyer Back row France Steeve Blanc-Mappaz Back row France Loïc Godener Back row France Stephen Setephano Back row Cook Islands Taiasina Tuifu'a Back row Samoa Edgar Tuinukuafe Back row New Zealand

Player Position Union Théo Nanette Scrum-half France Lilien Saseras Scrum-half France Jérémy Valençot Scrum-half France Burton Francis Fly-half South Africa Clément Gélin Fly-half France Adrien Latorre Fly-half France Ben Lucas [lower-alpha 1] Fly-half Australia Franck Pourteau Fly-half France Etienne Dussartre Centre France Junior Rasolea Centre Australia Eddie Sawailau Centre Fiji Alaska Taufa Centre Tonga Taleta Tupuola Centre New Zealand Pablo Uberti Centre France Lucas Dupont Wing France Jean-Teiva Jacquelin Wing Tahiti Daniel Kilioni Wing Tonga Raymond Rhule Wing South Africa Gervais Cordin Fullback France Gaëtan Germain Fullback France Bastien Guillemin Fullback France Lolagi Visinia Fullback New Zealand

• Notes:

Notable former players

See also

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

References

External links

• (in French) FC Grenoble Official website

Wikimedia Commons has media related to FC Grenoble.