AS Béziers Hérault explained

Teamname:Béziers
Countryflag:France
Capacity:18,555
President:Cédric Bistué
Coach:Manny Edmonds
Christophe Hamacek
Url:www.asbh.net
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Rightarm1:000080
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Association Sportive Béziers Hérault (Occitan (post 1500);: Associacion Esportiva de Besièrs Erau), often referred to by rugby media simply by its location of Béziers, is a French rugby union club currently playing in the second level of the country's professional rugby system, Pro D2. They earned their most recent promotion as 2011 Fédérale 1 champions,[1] but the club also won 11 Top 14 titles since its establishment in 1911.

Béziers 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. After some years playing in French second division, they finished bottom of the table in 2008–09 and were relegated to amateur Fédérale 1,[2] before returning to Pro D2 after their 2011 title. They are based in Béziers in Occitania, and play at Stade Raoul-Barrière (capacity 18,555). The club colors are red and blue.

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 22 May 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. 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 ASM Clermont Auvergne 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.

Béziers returned to the professional ranks in 2011–12 following their 13–6 win over Périgueux in the 2011 Fédérale 1 final on June 26. Both finalists were assured of promotion to Pro D2.

They struggled in their return season in Pro D2, finishing next-to last on the league table and well out of the safety zone. However, when ninth-place Bourgoin were forcibly relegated to Fédérale 1 for financial reasons,[3] Béziers remained in Pro D2 for 2012–13.

Honours

Finals results

French championship

DateWinnersScoreRunners-upVenueSpectators
22 May 1960FC Lourdes14–11AS BéziersStadium Municipal, Toulouse37.200
28 May 1961AS Béziers6–3US DaxStade de Gerland, Lyon35.000
27 May 1962SU Agen14–11AS BéziersStadium Municipal, Toulouse37.705
24 May 1964Section Paloise14–0AS BéziersStadium Municipal, Toulouse27.797
16 May 1971AS Béziers15–9 APRC ToulonParc Lescure, Bordeaux27.737
21 May 1972AS Béziers9–0CA BriveStade de Gerland, Lyon31.161
12 May 1974AS Béziers16–14RC NarbonneParc des Princes, Paris40.609
18 May 1975AS Béziers13–12CA BriveParc des Princes, Paris39.991
23 May 1976SU Agen13–10 APAS BéziersParc des Princes, Paris40.300
29 May 1977AS Béziers12–4USA PerpignanParc des Princes, Paris41.821
28 May 1978AS Béziers31–9AS MontferrandParc des Princes, Paris42.004
25 May 1980AS Béziers10–6Stade ToulousainParc des Princes, Paris43.350
23 May 1981AS Béziers22–13Stade BagnéraisParc des Princes, Paris44.106
28 May 1983AS Béziers14–6RC NiceParc des Princes, Paris43.100
26 May 1984AS Béziers21–21SU AgenParc des Princes, Paris44.076

Challenge Yves du Manoir

DateWinnersScoreRunners-up
1960Stade Montois align=center 9–9AS Béziers
1961Stade Montois align=center 17–8AS Béziers
1964AS Béziersalign=center 6–3Section Paloise
1972AS Béziersalign=center 27–6AS Montferrand
1973RC Narbonnealign=center 13–6AS Béziers
1975AS Béziersalign=center 16–12SU Agen
1977AS Béziers align=center 19–18FC Lourdes
1978RC Narbonne19–19
(more tries scored)		AS Béziers
1980Aviron Bayonnaisalign=center 16–10AS Béziers
1981FC Lourdesalign=center 25–13AS Béziers

French Cup

DateWinnersScoreRunners-up
1950FC Lourdes align=center 16–3AS Béziers
1986AS Béziersalign=center 40–9Stade Aurillacois

Current squad

The Béziers squad for the 2023–24 season is:[4] [5]

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Espoirs squad

Notable former players

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Béziers sacré champion . fr . . 2011-06-26 . 2011-06-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110628132909/http://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/breves2011/20110625_204519_beziers-sacre-champion.html . 2011-06-28 . dead .
  2. Web site: Rugby - Fiche equipe Béziers - Calendrier - It's rugby.
  3. Web site: Bourgoin wilt under financial pressure . Ian . Moriarty . ESPN Scrum . 9 August 2012 . 13 September 2012.
  4. Web site: Effectif Pro . Association Sportive Béziers Hérault . 25 August 2021.
  5. News: Béziers squad for season 2023/2024. All Rugby . 30 April 2024. 30 April 2024.

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