Rouen Normandie Rugby Explained

Teamname:Rouen NR
Fullname:Rouen Normandie Rugby
Nickname:Les Lions (The Lions)
Location:Rouen, France
Colours:black and white
Sport:Rugby union
Coach:Nicolas Godignon
Ground:Stade Robert Diochon
Capacity:12,018
Url:https://rouennormandierugby.fr/

Rouen Normandie Rugby is a French rugby union club from Rouen, currently playing in the second level of the country's professional rugby system, Pro D2.

The team plays in red and black shirts. It plays their home matches at Stade Robert Diochon in Rouen. There are plans to build a new stadium by 2023.[1]

History

The team origins date back to 2009, when a group of rugby fanatics from the Normandy region wanted to build a team in the city of Rouen.[2] Named Stade Rouennais, their primary objective of reaching Fédérale 2 was achieved in 2013.

Seeking further progress, Stade Rouennais hired Richard Hill, former captain of the England team and finalist of the 1991 World Cup, as General Manager in 2013. Under his management the club stabilized itself in Fédérale 2 and then gained promotion to Fédérale 1 in 2014–15.

After this meteoric rise Normand entrepreneurs Jean-Louis Louvel and Eric Leroy invested in the club by becoming the presidents. The club was renamed Rouen Normandie Rugby. The goal was to professionalize the club and extend it to all of Normandy. Richard Hill committed to the club until 2023.

These changes were beneficial, since for the first time in the history of Normandy rugby, Richard Hill lead Rouen Normandy Rugby to become Champion of France of the highest amateur level in 2016–17.

During the 2018–19 Fédérale 1 season Hill led Rouen to victory in the Jean Pratt Trophy, which automatically promoted them to Pro D2.[3]

Honours

Current squad

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

Espoirs squad

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Un nouveau stade de rugby construit dans quatre ans au sud de Rouen ? . actu.fr . 29 July 2019 . French.
  2. Web site: Histoire . Rouen Normandie Rugby . 29 July 2019 . French.
  3. Web site: Rouen Normandie Rugby sacré champion de France de Fédérale 1 au terme d'un match renversant . actu.fr . 29 July 2019 . French.
  4. Web site: Le Groupe Pro . 12 September 2023 . French.