AS Béziers Hérault

Rugby team
teamname = Béziers

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union = Fédération Française de Rugby
location = Béziers, France
country

founded = 1911
ground = Stade de la Méditerranée
capacity = 17,600
president = Olivier Nicollin
coach = Olivier Saisset
league = Pro D2
season = 2006-07
position = 5th
pattern_la1=| pattern_b1=| pattern_ra1=| leftarm1=000080| body1=000080| rightarm1=000080| shorts1=FF0000| socks1=000080
pattern_la2=| pattern_b2=| pattern_ra2=| leftarm2=FF0000| body2=FF0000| rightarm2=FF0000| shorts2=000080| socks2=FF0000

Association Sportive Béziers Hérault is a French rugby union club currently competing in the second level of the French league system, the Rugby Pro D2 competition. They were founded in 1911.

The side was a major force in French rugby throughout the 1970s and 1980s, However, at the end of 2004-05 season they were relegated to Pro D2. They are based in Béziers in Languedoc and play at Stade de la Méditerranée (capacity 20,000). The club colours are blue and red.

History

The club was established in 1911. Their first notable honour was being runners-up in the Coupe de France. However it would not be until the 1960s when the club began its rise to prominence. Béziers made their first championship appearance in the 1960 season. On May 22 they faced FC Lourdes in the final, losing 14 points to 11 in Toulouse. Béziers found mixed success during the 1960s following their first championship loss to Lourdes. The next season they won their first championship, defeating US Dax 6 points to 3 in Lyon. They were also runners-up in the Challenge Yves du Manoir that season. They also contested the domestic championship in 1962, though they lost to SU Agen 14 to 11 in the final. Béziers performed well in the 1964 season as well; losing the championship final to Section Paloise, and winning the Challenge Yves du Manoir

After the success during the early 1960s Béziers became a powerful club in the 1970s. In 1971 Béziers made it to the final of the domestic championship; defeating RC Toulon 15 points to 9 in Bordeaux. The following season Béziers captured the championship, defeating Brive 9 points to nil in Lyon, and winning the Challenge Yves du Manoir as well, winning it again in 1973 as well. The club won championships in 1974 and 1975, defeating RC Narbonne and Brive respectively, both times at Parc des Princes in Paris. They were also involved in the 1976 final, though they lost to Agen, 13 to 10. The following season they won the championship again, defeating Perpignan 12 to 4 in the final. They also won the Challenge Yves du Manoir as well.

The next season they successfully defended their domestic title; defeating AS Montferrand 31 points to 9 in the championship game in Paris. They however did not win back-to-back Challenge Yves du Manoir titles; though they came close, being runners-up. The success continued in the early 1980s as well, winning the championship of the 1980 season, defeating Toulouse 10 to 6 in the final, as well as being Challenge Yves du Manoir runners-up that season. Béziers repeated this again the next season; actually defeating Toulouse in the championship final again, and were runners-up in the Challenge Yves du Manoir. They were champions again in 1983 and 1984, defeating RC Nice and Agen in the finals respectively. They also won the Coupe de France in the 1986 season.

Honours

* French championship:
** Champions: 1961, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984
** Runners-up: 1960, 1962, 1964, 1976
* Challenge Yves du Manoir
** Champions: 1964, 1972, 1977
** Runners-up: 1961, 1973, 1978, 1980, 1981
* Coupe de France
** Champions: 1986
** Runners-up: 1950
* Elite 2
** Champions: 2000

Finals results

French championship

Famous players

*Richard Astre
*Armand Vaquerin
*Raoul Barrière
*Alain Estève
*Michel Fabre
*Olivier Saïsset
*Pierre Lacans
*Alain Paco
*Michel Palmié
*Gonzalo Quesada
*Cédric Soulette
*Yannick Nyanga
*Julien laharrague
*Dimitri Szarzewski
*Richard Dourthe

External links

* [http://www.asbh.net/ Official site]