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- 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Honours
[edit] Finals results
[edit] French championship
[edit] Challenge Yves du Manoir
[edit] Coupe de l'Espérance
[edit] Current squad
| Nat. |
Position |
Player |
|
 |
PR |
Jean-Marie Usandisaga |
|
PR |
Julian Fiorini |
|
PR |
Philippe Lafond |
|
PR |
Aretz Iguiniz |
 |
PR |
Avto Kopaliani |
 |
PR |
Augustin Lopresti |
|
HK |
Arnaud Heguy |
|
HK |
David Roumieu |
 |
LK |
Mikaera Tewhata |
|
LK |
Damien Lagrange |
 |
LK |
Andrew Springgay |
 |
LK |
Rob Linde |
|
LK |
Cédric Bergez |
|
LK |
Antony Etchagaray |
|
FL |
Jean Jo Marmouyet |
|
FL |
Louis Massabeau |
|
FL |
Guillaume Bernad |
|
FL |
Jacques Deen |
|
|
|
[1]
[2]
[edit] 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
[edit] Current internationals
[edit] Coaches
[edit] References
- ^ Nat. shown here indicates sporting nationality as defined by the IRB
- ^ (French) Aviron Bayonnais - Equipe. Official club homepage of Aviron Bayonnais.
- Un siècle de rugby à Bayonne, de Manuel Castiella, éd. Atlantica, 2001
[edit] External links
