Provence
Full nameProvence Rugby
Nickname(s)Les Noirs (The Blacks) Le PARC
Founded1970 (1970)
LocationAix-en-Provence, France
Ground(s)Stade Maurice David (Capacity: 8,767)
PresidentDenis Philipon
Coach(es)Mauricio Reggiardo
Captain(s)Ludovic Radosavljevic
League(s)Pro D2
2022–238th
Team kit
2nd kit
Official website
www.provencerugby.com

Provence Rugby (Occitan: Provença Rugbi) is a French rugby union club currently playing in Rugby Pro D2, the second tier of France's league system. They were promoted back to the second level for the 2018–19 season after 2 seasons in Fédérale 1.

Based in Aix-en-Provence in the Bouches-du-Rhône just north of Marseille, the club was founded in 1970. They currently play at Stade Maurice David and wear black. The club was known as Aix Rugby Club from 1970 to 2001, and Pays d'Aix Rugby Club (PARC) from 2001 to 2015.

At the end of 2004/5 they were promoted to Pro D2 but were relegated back to Fédérale 1 at the end of the season. They would return to Pro D2 as runners-up to Lannemezan in 2009. In the 2009–10 season, they finished next-to-last on the league table, in a relegation spot. However, they were reprieved when Top 14 club Montauban filed for bankruptcy and were relegated directly to Fédérale 1. They would suffer the drop after the 2012-13 season, not returning until 2015–16.

By that time, they had changed their name to the current Provence Rugby, officially announcing the name change on 22 June 2015.[1]

Provence finished last in the 2015–16 Pro D2 season. Initially, they were spared relegation when four clubs were relegated to Fédérale 1 due to financial mismanagement, but three of these eventually won appeals and remained in Pro D2,[2][3] consigning Provence to the drop.

Honours

One of several logos used by the club in the early 21st century.
  • Fédérale 1:
    • Champions: 2004, 2015, 2018
    • Runners-up: 2009
  • Deuxième Division:
    • Champions: 1986

Current standings

2023–24 Pro D2 Table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Vannes 16 10 1 5 396 244 +152 5 3 50 Semi-final promotion playoff place
2 Provence 16 10 2 4 427 342 +85 4 3 51
3 Béziers 16 10 1 5 428 319 +109 4 3 49 Quarter-final promotion playoff place
4 Mont-de-Marsan 16 10 0 6 400 305 +95 2 3 45
5 Nevers 16 9 0 7 406 345 +61 4 3 43
6 Brive 16 9 0 7 328 306 +22 3 1 40
7 Aurillac 16 8 1 7 311 373 62 3 1 38
8 Colomiers 16 7 1 8 330 331 1 2 4 36
9 Grenoble 16 10 0 6 432 364 +68 4 2 34[lower-alpha 1]
10 Montauban 16 8 0 8 294 367 73 2 0 34
11 Agen 16 7 1 8 285 390 105 1 2 33
12 Dax 16 7 1 8 281 387 106 1 2 33
13 Valence Romans 16 6 0 10 317 287 +30 3 3 30
14 Soyaux Angoulême 16 5 1 10 288 321 33 0 4 26
15 Biarritz 16 5 0 11 320 434 114 2 3 25 Relegation to Nationale
16 Rouen 16 2 1 13 270 398 128 1 4 15
Updated to match(es) played on 12 January 2024. Source:
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Competition points earned in head-to-head matches
  2. Points difference in head-to-head matches
  3. Try differential in head-to-head matches
  4. Points difference in all matches
  5. Try differential in all matches
  6. Points scored in all matches
  7. Tries scored in all matches
  8. Fewer matches forfeited
  9. Classification in the previous Top 14 season
    Notes:
  1. Following the decisions rendered by the Appeal Commission on July 6, 2023 and December 14, 2023 by the Disciplinary Council, a withdrawal of 12 points applies for FC Grenoble Rugby

Current squad

The Provence squad for the 2023–24 season:[4]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Loick Jammes Hooker France France
Lucas Martin Hooker France France
Jean-Charles Orioli Hooker France France
Tomas Francis Prop Wales Wales
Paul Mallez Prop France France
Julius Nostadt Prop Germany Germany
Quentin Samaran Prop France France
Nicolas Toth Prop Argentina Argentina
Thomas Vernet Prop France France
Federico Wegrzyn Prop Argentina Argentina
Clément Chartier Lock France France
Jérôme Dufour Lock France France
Théo Hannoyer Lock France France
Josh Tyrell Lock Samoa Samoa
Andres Zafra Lock Colombia Colombia
Carl Axtens Back row New Zealand New Zealand
Teimana Harrison Back row England England
Jessy Jegrelehner Back row France France
Nicolas Mousties Back row France France
Guillaume Piazzoli Back row France France
Malohi Suta Back row France France
Bilel Taieb Back row Tunisia Tunisia
Player Position Union
Joris Cazenave Scrum-half France France
Arthur Coville Scrum-half France France
Jeremie Martin Scrum-half France France
Simon Tarel Scrum-half France France
Jimmy Gopperth Fly-half New Zealand New Zealand
Johnny McPhillips Fly-half Ireland Ireland
Enzo Selponi Fly-half France France
Inga Finau Centre New Zealand New Zealand
Dorian Lavernhe Centre France France
Louis Marrou Centre France France
Hugo Navizet Centre France France
Adrian Sanday Centre Fiji Fiji
Atila Septar Centre Romania Romania
Etonia Bainivalu Wing Fiji Fiji
Nadir Bouhedjeur Wing France France
Léo Drouet Wing France France
Adrien Lapegue Wing France France
Sione Tui Wing Australia Australia
Mathias Colombet Fullback France France
Thomas Salles Fullback France France

Espoirs squad

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Jules Chacon Hooker France France
Joseph Laget Hooker France France
Tom Marino Hooker France France
Lucas Martin Hooker France France
Remi Bouaffou Prop France France
Davit Gvelesiani Prop Georgia (country) Georgia
Jean-Pierre Maugateau Prop France France
Soane Suve Prop France France
Nicolas Toth Prop Argentina Argentina
Clement Baud Lock France France
Charly Gambini Lock France France
Davit Gvidiani Lock Georgia (country) Georgia
Gigi Kurkhuli Lock Georgia (country) Georgia
Baptiste Belhadj Back row France France
Malohi Suta Back row France France
Player Position Union
Baptiste Thevenard Scrum-half France France
Steven Faupala Centre France France
Jules Solinas Centre France France
Thomas Hannesschalger Wing France France
Michel Hemou Wing France France
Ulysse Pallot Wing France France

Notable former players

References

  1. "LE PARC devient Provence Rugby" (Press release) (in French). Provence Rugby. 22 June 2015. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  2. "Biarritz et Narbonne Maintenus en PRO D2" [Biarritz and Narbonne Remain in Pro D2] (Press release) (in French). Ligue Nationale de Rugby. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
  3. "Bourgoin Reste en PRO D2" [Bourgoin Remains in Pro D2] (Press release) (in French). Ligue Nationale de Rugby. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  4. "Effectif". Provence Rugby (in French). Retrieved 21 April 2021.
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