- RC Narbonne
Rugby team
teamname = Narbonne
fullname = Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée
location =Narbonne ,France
country
founded = 1907
ground =Parc des Sports Et de l'Amitié
capacity = 11,000
president = Gilbert Ysern
coach =Didier Nourault andAlain Hyardet
league =Rugby Pro D2
season = 2006-07 Top 14
position = 14th
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=|leftarm1=FF8C00|body1=FF8C00|rightarm1=FF8C00|shorts1=000000| pattern_so1=|socks1=000000
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=|leftarm2=000000|body2=000000|rightarm2=000000|shorts2=000000|socks2=FF8C00|url=www.rcnm.comRacing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée (also known as RC Narbonne) is a French
rugby union club that will play the 2007-08 season in the second-levelRugby Pro D2 , after finishing at the bottom of the 2006-07 Top 14 table.They are based in
Narbonne inLanguedoc-Roussillon . They were founded in 1907. They play atParc des Sports Et de l'Amitié (capacity 11,000). They wear orange and black.History
RC Narbonne were established in 1907. The club's first appearance in the domestic championship final came in May 1932, where they faced Lyon in
Bordeaux . However, Narbonne were not able to capture their first title, as Lyon would go onto win the final 9 points to three. The following season Narbonne again made it to the final of the league, and once again, Lyon were their opponents. Again played in Bordeaux, Lyon were victorious once again, defeating Narbonne 10 points to three. However by 1936 Narbonne were once agagin finalists of the French championship, and on May 10 inToulouse they defeated Montferrand 6 points to three, claiming their first ever championship.In 1967 Narbonne contested the final of the
Challenge Yves du Manoir , playingFC Lourdes (the 1966 Challenge Yves du Manoir champions). FC Lourdes held onto their title, defeating Narbonne 9 points to three. However the following season, Narbonne were again finalists, and won their first Challenge Yves du Manoir title, defeating Dax 14 points to six.The 1970s were another successful era for RC Narbonne. In 1973 Narbonne captured their first Challenge Yves du Manoir title since the 1968 season, defeating Béziers 13 points to six. 1974 was a great season for Narbonne; they successfully defended their Challenge Yves du Manoir title by defeating
CA Brive in the final, they were also runners-up in the main French championship, being defeated by their 1973 Challenge Yves du Manoir opponents AS Béziers (16 points to 14). In 1978 Narbonne again won the Challenge Yves du Manoir, being awarded the title after drawing 19-all with AS Béziers due to them scoring more tries. 1979 was a very successful year for Narbonne; they were able to hold onto their Challenge Yves du Manoir title, defeating AS Montferrand 9 points to seven, as well as the Challenge Yves du Manoir, Narbonne won the French championship (for the first time since 1936), defeatingStade Bagnérais 10 to nil atParc des Princes in the final.Narbonne would also win a number of honours during the 1980s. The club were runners-up in the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1982, losing to US Dax 19 points to 22 in the final. Narbonne won it again in 1984, defeating Toulouse 17 points to 13 in the final. In 1985 Narbonne won the Coupe de France, defeating AS Béziers 28 to 27 after extra time. In 1989 Narbonne won the Challenge Yves du Manoir again, defeating Biarritz 18 points to 12. The club won it again in 1990, defeating Grenoble 24 to 19 in the final. Narbonne made it three in a row after winning the 1991 Challenge Yves du Manoir, defeating
CA Bègles 24 to 19 in the final game. Narbonne came close to winning the Challenge Yves du Manoir four times in a row, but lost toSU Agen 23-18 in the final. In 2001 Narbonne were runners-up in theEuropean Challenge Cup , losing to the Harlequins 42 to 33 in the final.Honours
* French championship:
** Champions: 1936, 1979
** Runners-up: 1932, 1933, 1974*
European Challenge Cup :
** Runners-up: 2001*
Challenge Yves du Manoir :
** Champions: 1968, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991
** Runners-up: 1967, 1982, 1992* Coupe de France:
** Champions: 1985Finals results
French championship
European Challenge Cup
Notable former players
*
Didier Codorniou
*Patrick Estève
*Walter Spanghero
*Gareth Llewellyn External links
* [http://www.rcnm.com/ Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée] - Official site
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