SC Albi

Rugby team
teamname = Albi


fullname = Sporting Club Albigeois
founded = 1907
location = Albi, France
country

ground = Stadium Municipal d'Albi
capacity = 12,000
president = Joseph Mir
coach = Eric Bechu
league = Rugby Pro D2
season = 2007-08
position = 12th, Top 14
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=|leftarm1=FFFF00|body1=FFFF00|rightarm1=FFFF00|shorts1=000000| socks1=FFFF00
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=|leftarm2=FFFF00|body2=000000|rightarm2=FFFF00|shorts2=000000|socks2=000000|url=www.sca-albi.fr

Sporting Club Albigeois is a professional French rugby union club currently competing at the second level (Rugby Pro D2) of the French league system. Founded in 1907, the club plays at the Stadium municipal d'Albi (capacity 12,000). They wear black and yellow. They are based in Albi in Midi-Pyrénées.

History

Sporting Club Albigeois was founded in December 1906 as a sportsclub where, in addition to rugby, tennis and running were practiced. Their first title came in 1926 when they beat Stade Toulousain in the final of the highly competitive "championnat des Pyrénées" (Pyrénées league).

In 1940, the Vichy regime forced towns with a population below 50,000 to merge their sports clubs in single entities. (UA Gaillac is another rugby union example). Vichy also targeted the professional rugby league and Albi was forced to bring together the two local clubs, S.C. Albi and R.C. Albi XIII under the name Albi Olympique.

In 1945, each club went its way and recovered its previous name. In 1949, SC Albi reached the First Division. In 1955, it qualified for the playoffs, managing to oust the prestigious Racing Club de France in the first round, before going down to Romans in the round of 16.

Until the 1980s, Albi went through regular ups-and-downs between the first and second divisions (Div 1 1961-1970, 1973-75, 1977-79, Div 2, 1957-1959, 1970-73, 1975-77, 1979-85). Their only notable performance was another playoff win against Toulouse in 1974. Albi remained in the second or third divisions until 2000.

The millennium was very favourable for Albi. The club reached three consecutive third division finals, all lost, in 2000, 2001 et 2002, to FC Oloron Sainte-Marie, Oyonnax and Tours. However, the professional Pro D2 offered two promotion spots in 2002 and Albi was back in the second division.

It took them four more years to take the last step. After finishing second to US Montauban in the 2006 regular season, they went on to beat AS Béziers and US Dax in the promotion playoffs and secure the final spot in the élite league Top 14. They remained in Top 14 until the 2007-08 season. Although they finished 12th that season, which would normally have kept them in the top flight, they were forcibly relegated to Pro D2 due to financial issues.

Honours

* French league, Division 1:
**Round of 16 : 1955, 1974
* French League, Division 1, B Group: (the second division)
**semi-final: 1980, 1986
* French league, Nationale 1: (Div 3, highest amateur level)
**Runner-up: 2000
*French league, Promotion Nationale: (Div 3, highest amateur level)
**Runner-up: 2001
* French league, Fédérale 1: (Div 3, highest amateur level)
**Runner-up: 2002
* Championnat des Pyrénées:
**Winner 1926

Current Squad

Notable Former Players

* Robert Basauri
* René Bousquet. 9 caps. One of the 15 Frenchmen who defeated England for the first time i1927.
* Pierre Danos
* Charles-Antoine Gonnet. 16 cap. Also beat the English in 1927
* Bernard Momméjat. 9 caps with SCA

Trivia

* French president Georges Pompidou accepted to be honorary chairman of the club in 1969 and paid his fees regularly until he died in 1974. [http://sporting.club.albi.free.fr/archives/historique/livredor/hommes/lettrepompi.htm] .

References

* [http://www.sca-albi.fr/ Club website] , LNR
* [http://sporting.club.albi.free.fr Club volunteers’ website]

External links

* [http://www.sca-albi.fr/ Official site]