Castres Olympique

In 1898 several alumni of Castres' municipal college met in a city centre bar and decided to create a team allowing them to play their favourite sport, rugby union. For the first few years this team was part of a multisport club until 1906. Unhappy with the dominating position cycling had within the club, the members of the rugby section decided to leave and create a club of their own, solely dedicated to their sport. It was decided that this club would be named Castres Olympique and its colours would be changed from yellow and black to its current blue, white and grey.

The new club reached the top flight after only 15 years of existence and has remained there ever since, bar for a couple of years during the 80s when the club was in the then Section B of the 1st division. The club has never left the 1st division since 1921.

For a while Castres Olympique would experience mixed fortunes until 1948 when they reached and won their first Coupe de France. The prestigious championship would follow a year later, and again in 1950.

From the 1960s the club would experience a stream of mediocre seasons and steady decline until Pierre Fabre, the founder of a local pharmaceutical company, decided to take over the club and restore it to its former relative glory in 1988.

The 1993 French Rugby Union Championship was won by Castres who beat Grenoble 14–11 in controversial final. Indeed 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.[3] Salles admitted the error 13 years later[4] .[5] Jacques Fouroux conflict with the Federation and who was already suspicious before the match of the referee[6] cry out conspiracy.[7]

The club reached the final again in 1995 losing 31–16 to Stade Toulousain.

Castres won the 2012–13 French Rugby Union Championship beating Toulon 19–14 in the final.[8]

The team's owner, Pierre Fabre, the founder of Laboratoires Pierre Fabre. died on 20 July 2013.[9] Castres' home stadium, previously known as Stade Pierre-Antoine, was renamed in his memory during ceremonies in conjunction with Castres' match with Montpellier on 9 September 2017.[10]

Castres won the 2017–18 French Rugby Union Championship beating Montpellier 29–13 in the final.

• French championship:
  • Champions (5) : 1949, 1950, 1993, 2013, 2018
  • Runners-up (2) : 1995, 2014
• Coupe de France:
  • Champions (1) : 1948
• Challenge Yves du Manoir:
  • Runners-up (1) : 1993
• Group B French Champions:
  • Champions (1) : 1989
• European Challenge Cup:
  • Runners-up (2) : 1997, 2000
• European Shield:
  • Champions (1) : 2003

The Castres squad for the 2019–20 season is:[11]

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 Kévin Firmin Hooker France Jody Jenneker Hooker South Africa Marc-Antoine Rallier Hooker France Marc Clerc Prop France Paea Faʻanunu Prop Tonga Tapu Falatea Prop France Wilfrid Hounkpatin Prop France Daniel Kötze Prop France Tudor Stroë Prop France Antoine Tichit Prop France Matt Tierney Prop Canada Karena Wihongi Prop New Zealand Rodrigo Capó Ortega Lock Uruguay Loïc Jacquet Lock France Victor Moreaux Lock France Hans N'Kinsi Lock France Christophe Samson Lock France Mathieu Babillot Back row France Baptiste Delaporte Back row France Camille Gérondeau Back row France Kévin Gimeno Back row France Anthony Jelonch Back row France Alex Tulou Back row New Zealand Maama Vaipulu Back row Tonga

Player Position Union Rory Kockott Scrum-half France Ludovic Radosavljevic Scrum-half France Thomas Fortunel Fly-half France Benjamín Urdapilleta Fly-half Argentina Thomas Combezou Centre France Yann David Centre France Robert Ebersohn Centre South Africa Florian Vialelle Centre France Armand Batlle Wing France Julien Caminati Wing France Martin Laveau Wing France Filipo Nakosi Wing Fiji Taylor Paris Wing Canada Julien Dumora Fullback France Benjamin Lapeyre Fullback France Geoffrey Palis Fullback France

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

• (in French) Castres Olympique Official website