Castres Olympique

In 1898 several alumni of Castres' municipal college met in a city centre bar and decided to create a team allowing them to play their favourite sport, rugby union. For the first few years this team was part of a multisport club until 1906. Unhappy with the dominating position cycling had within the club, the members of the rugby section decided to leave and create a club of their own, solely dedicated to their sport. It was decided that this club would be named Castres Olympique and its colours would be changed from yellow and black to its current blue, white and grey.

The new club reached the top flight after only 15 years of existence and has remained there ever since, bar for a couple of years during the 80s when the club was in the then Section B of the 1st division. The club has never left the 1st division since 1921.

For a while Castres Olympique would experience mixed fortunes until 1948 when they reached and won their first Coupe de France. The prestigious championship would follow a year later, and again in 1950.

From the 1960s the club would experience a stream of mediocre seasons and steady decline until Pierre Fabre, the founder of a local pharmaceutical company, decided to take over the club and restore it to its former relative glory in 1988.

The 1993 French Rugby Union Championship was won by Castres who beat Grenoble 14–11 in controversial final. Indeed a try of Olivier Brouzet is denied to Grenoble[2] and the decisive try by Gary Whetton was awarded by the referee, Daniel Salles, when in fact the defender Franck Hueber from Grenoble touched down the ball first in his try zone. This error gave the title to Castres.[3] Salles admitted the error 13 years later[4] [5] Jacques Fouroux conflict with the Federation and who was already suspicious before the match of the referee[6] cry out conspiracy.[7]

The club reached the final again in 1995 losing 31–16 to Stade Toulousain.

Castres won the 2012–13 French Rugby Union Championship beating Toulon 19–14 in the final.[8]

The team's owner, Pierre Fabre, the founder of Laboratoires Pierre Fabre. died on 20 July 2013.[9] Castres' home stadium, previously known as Stade Pierre-Antoine, was renamed in his memory during ceremonies in conjunction with Castres' match with Montpellier on 9 September 2017.[10]

Castres won the 2017–18 French Rugby Union Championship beating Montpellier 29–13 in the final.

• French championship:
  • Champions (5) : 1949, 1950, 1993, 2013, 2018
  • Runners-up (3) : 1995, 2014, 2022
• Coupe de France:
  • Champions (1) : 1948
• Challenge Yves du Manoir:
  • Runners-up (1) : 1993
• Group B French Champions:
  • Champions (1) : 1989
• European Challenge Cup:
  • Runners-up (2) : 1997, 2000
• European Shield:
  • Champions (1) : 2003

The Castres squad for the 2022–23 season is:[11]

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Gaëtan Barlot Hooker France Brice Humbert Hooker France Brendan Lebrun Hooker France Paul Ngauamo Hooker Tonga Aurelian Azar Prop France Levan Chilachava Prop Georgia Wayan de Benedittis Prop France Antoine Guillamon Prop France Wilfrid Hounkpatin Prop France Antoine Tichit Prop France Matt Tierney Prop Canada Quentin Walcker Prop France Tyler Ardron Lock Canada Theo Hannoyer Lock France Gauthier Maravat Lock France Leone Nakarawa Lock Fiji Ryno Pieterse Lock South Africa Tom Staniforth Lock Australia Florent Vanverberghe Lock France Mathieu Babillot Back row France Teariki Ben-Nicholas Back row New Zealand Nick Champion de Crespigny Back row Australia Baptiste Delaporte Back row France Kevin Kornath Back row France Josaia Raisuqe Back row Fiji Asier Usarraga Back row Spain

Player Position Union Santiago Arata Scrum-half Uruguay Julien Blanc Scrum-half France Gauthier Doubrere Scrum-half France Jeremy Fernandez Scrum-half France Ben Botica Fly-half New Zealand Louis Le Brun Fly-half France Benjamín Urdapilleta Fly-half Argentina Vilimoni Botitu Centre Fiji Andrea Cocagi Centre Fiji Thomas Combezou Centre France Adrien Seguret Centre France Antoine Bouzeand Wing France Martin Laveau Wing France Filipo Nakosi Wing Fiji Antoine Zeghdar Wing France Julien Dumora Fullback France Thomas Larregain Fullback France Geoffrey Palis Fullback France

Espoirs squad

The Castres Olympique Espoirs squad is:[12]

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Pierre Colonna Hooker France Stefan Marko Buruiana Hooker Romania Baptiste Brau Prop France Sphekahle Dube Prop South Africa Valentin Gorge Prop France Lois Guerois-Galisson Prop France Alexev Konnov Lock Russia Hugo Lopez Lock France Gauthier Maravat Lock France Adrian Tafanel Lock France Baptiste Cope Back row France Dmitry Dronov Back row Russia Julien Guiraud Back row France Maxime Rakotomalala Back row France Feibyan Tukino Back row France

Player Position Union Simon Benoist Scrum-half France Louison Gras Fly-half France Louis Lebrun Fly-half France Joris Dupont Centre France Dylan Ferrie Centre France Mathis Muller Centre France Crimson Tukino Centre New Zealand Theo Chabouni Fullback France Sasha Palchin Fullback France Osea Waqaninavatu Fullback Fiji

• List of rugby union clubs in France
• Rugby union in France

• (in French) Castres Olympique Official website