Aviron Bayonnais

Rugby team
teamname = Bayonne


fullname = Aviron Bayonnais
location = Bayonne, France
country

founded = 1904
ground = Stade Jean Dauger
capacity = 12,000
president = Francis Salagoïty
coach = Xavier Pemeja and Frédéric Faragou
league = Top 14
season = 2006-07
position = 8th
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=_bayonne|pattern_ra1=|leftarm1=AFEEEE|body1=FFFF00|rightarm1=AFEEEE|shorts1=FFFFFF| pattern_so1=_bayonne |socks1=
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=|leftarm2=000080|body2=000080|rightarm2=000080|shorts2=FFFFFF|pattern_so2=_bayonne|url=www.avironbayonnaisrugby.fr:"For the French football (soccer) club, see Aviron Bayonnais Football Club."Aviron Bayonnais is a French rugby union club from Bayonne in Pyrénées-Atlantiques that currently competes in the top level of the French league system, in the Top 14 competition.

Founded in 1904, they play at the Parc des Sports also known as Jean Dauger in Bayonne. Their mascot is a pottok pony called "pottoka". They have ties to the French Basque community.

History

The club was established in 1904, making their first final appearance in the 1913 season, where they defated S.C.U.F. 31-8 at the Stade Yves-du-Manoir. The national domestic championship was replaced by the Coupe de l'Espérance during World War I. The competition was played for four seasons, with Aviron Bayonnais contesting the last final, which they lost to Stadoceste Tarbais 4 to 3.

With the French championship resumed, the club made their next championship game in the 1922 season where they met Toulouse. Aviron Bayonnais lost the final 6 to nil. The two clubs would meet again the next season to again contest the championship final, which Toulouse won again, 3 to nil.

Aviron Bayonnais enjoyed success during the mid-1930s, defeating Biarritz 13 to 8 in Toulouse to win their second championship, and first since 1913. They also won the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1936, defeating Perpignan in the final. The club saw similar results during the mid-1940s as well, with two championship final appearances; defeating SU Agen in the 1943 final at Parc des Princes in Paris and losing the 1944 season final to Perpignan.

Since the 1940s the club did not find a lot of success over the coming years, as they would have to wait until the 1980s until they would again reach any of the championship finals. In 1980 they contested the final of the Challenge Yves du Manoir, defeating AS Béziers 16 to 10 to gain their second title of that competition. They made it to the final of the 1982 season, although they were defeated by SU Agen, 18 to 9.

Honours

* French championship:
** Champions: 1913, 1934 and 1943
** Finalist: 1922, 1923, 1944 and 1982

* Challenge Yves du Manoir:
** Champions: 1936 and 1980

* Coupe de l'Espérance:
** Champions: 1919

* Coupe André Moga:
** Champions: 1995

Finals results

French championship

Current squad

[fr icon cite web|url=http://www.avironbayonnaisrugby.fr/equipe.php|title=Aviron Bayonnais - Equipe|work=Official club homepage of Aviron Bayonnais]

Notable Former Players

*André Alvarez
*Robert Baulon
*André Béhotéguy
*Henri Béhotéguy
*Christian Belascain
*Eugène Billac
*Maurice Celhay
*Jean Dauger
*Pierre Dospital
*Richard Dourthe
*Bernard Duprat
*Fernand Forgues
*Jean-Michel Gonzales
*Jean Iraçabal
*Louis Junquas
*Paul Labadie
*Félix Lasserre
*Christophe Lamaison
*Christian Magnanou
*Wataru Murata
*Laurent Pardo
*Jacques Rollet

Current internationals

* Benjamin Thiéry

Coaches

*Jean-Pierre Elissalde

References

* "Un siècle de rugby à Bayonne", de Manuel Castiella, éd. Atlantica, 2001

External links

* [http://www.avironbayonnaisrugby.fr/ Official website]
* [http://membres.lycos.fr/nono82/ Club information]