Rouen Normandie Rugby

Rouen NR

Full name	Rouen Normandie Rugby
Nickname(s)	Les Lions (The Lions)
Founded	2009;15 years ago (2009)
Location	Rouen, France
Ground(s)	Stade Robert Diochon (Capacity: 12,018)
Coach(es)	Nicolas Godignon
League(s)	Nationale
2023–24	Pro D2, 16th (relegated)
Official website
rouennormandierugby.fr

Rouen Normandie Rugby is a French rugby union club from Rouen, currently playing in the second level of the country's professional rugby system, Pro D2.

The team plays in red and black shirts. It plays their home matches at Stade Robert Diochon in Rouen. There are plans to build a new stadium by 2023. ^[1]

History

The team origins date back to 2009, when a group of rugby fanatics from the Normandy region wanted to build a team in the city of Rouen. ^[2] Named Stade Rouennais, their primary objective of reaching Fédérale 2 was achieved in 2013.

Seeking further progress, Stade Rouennais hired Richard Hill, former captain of the England team and finalist of the 1991 World Cup, as General Manager in 2013. Under his management the club stabilized itself in Fédérale 2 and then gained promotion to Fédérale 1 in 2014–15.

After this meteoric rise Normand entrepreneurs Jean-Louis Louvel and Eric Leroy invested in the club by becoming the presidents. The club was renamed Rouen Normandie Rugby. The goal was to professionalize the club and extend it to all of Normandy. Richard Hill committed to the club until 2023.

These changes were beneficial, since for the first time in the history of Normandy rugby, Richard Hill lead Rouen Normandy Rugby to become Champion of France of the highest amateur level in 2016–17.

During the 2018–19 Fédérale 1 season Hill led Rouen to victory in the Jean Pratt Trophy, which automatically promoted them to Pro D2. ^[3]

Honours

• Fédérale 1 champions: 2018–19

Current standings

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	B	Pts
1	Oyonnax (C, P)	30	23	1	6	904	457	+447	17	111	Semi-final promotion playoff place
2	Grenoble	30	19	3	8	672	588	+84	8	87 [lower-alpha 1]
3	Mont-de-Marsan	30	19	0	11	764	649	+115	10	86	Quarter-final promotion playoff place
4	Nevers	30	17	3	10	718	551	+167	11	85
5	Vannes	30	17	1	12	718	633	+85	11	81
6	Agen	30	15	1	14	653	583	+70	15	77
7	Colomiers	30	15	0	15	674	678	−4	10	70
8	Provence	30	13	4	13	652	638	+14	9	69
9	Béziers	30	13	1	16	700	716	−16	11	65
10	Aurillac	30	15	0	15	586	706	−120	5	65
11	Biarritz	30	12	2	16	690	699	−9	8	60
12	Rouen	30	12	2	16	594	767	−173	6	58
13	Montauban	30	12	1	17	678	784	−106	6	54 [lower-alpha 1]
14	Soyaux Angoulême	30	11	0	19	569	697	−128	8	52
15	Carcassonne (R)	30	10	1	19	553	677	−124	10	52	Relegation to Nationale
16	Massy (R)	30	7	0	23	499	801	−302	5	33

Source: Pro D2
Rules for classification: When two teams have the same points total, position is determined by head-to-head results before points difference.
(C) Champion; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:

1. Grenoble were penalised three competition points, and Montauban were penalised two, for financial and administrative issues that made the clubs "non-compliant with the regulatory provisions and decisions of the CCCP". ^{[4] [5]}

Current squad

For player movements before or during the 2023–24 season, see List of 2023–24 Rugby Pro D2 transfers § Rouen.

The Rouen squad for the 2023–24 season is: ^[6]

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

Player Position Union Mathieu Bonnot Hooker France Eli Ma'afu Hooker Australia Lucas Malbert Hooker France Jérémie Maurouard Hooker France Luka Azariashvili Prop Georgia Enzo Baggiani Prop France Soso Bekoshvili Prop Georgia Soulemane Camara Prop France Elias El Ansari Prop France Antoine Fournier Prop France Cody Thomas Prop South Africa Khvicha Tsopurashvili Prop Georgia JC Astle Lock South Africa Jean Leleu Lock France Jimi Maximin Lock France Toby Salmon Lock England Raphaël Vieilledent Lock France Will Witty Lock England Tienie Burger Back row South Africa Lucas Costa Back row France Abdelkarim Fofana Back row France Valentino Mapapalangi Back row Tonga Samuel Maximin Back row France Willy N'Diaye Back row France Julien Ruaud Back row France

Player Position Union Florent Campeggia Scrum-half France Quentin Delord Scrum-half France Maxime Sidobre Scrum-half France Hugo Aubry Fly-half Portugal Franck Pourteau Fly-half France Edgar Retière Fly-half France Taylor Gontineac Centre Romania JT Jackson Centre South Africa Alex Luatua Centre New Zealand Pablo Patilla Centre France Ope Peleseuma Centre Samoa Kévin Bly Wing France Benjamin Descamps Wing France Benito Masilevu Wing Fiji Paul Vallee Wing France Théo Velten Wing France Peter Lydon Fullback Netherlands Baptiste Mouchous Fullback 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 Lucas Poisson Hooker France Paul Terrade Hooker France Ewan Clément Prop France Tao Delacoudre Prop France Sidi-Mohammed Diallo Prop France Zsombor Kade Lock Netherlands Octave Leleu Lock France Arturo Ten Hoever Back row France Gabriel Lucas Back row France Clement Ribiero Back row France Alois Chayla Fly-half France Zalan Kade Centre Netherlands Gabin Gangneux Wing France

See also

• List of rugby union clubs in France

References

1. "Un nouveau stade de rugby construit dans quatre ans au sud de Rouen ?". actu.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 July 2019.
2. "Histoire". Rouen Normandie Rugby (in French). Retrieved 29 July 2019.
3. "Rouen Normandie Rugby sacré champion de France de Fédérale 1 au terme d'un match renversant". actu.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 July 2019.
4. "Le FCG sanctionné de trois points de retrait au classement par la Ligue !". Le Dauphiné libéré (in French). 21 November 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2023. Un retrait de cinq points dont deux points avec sursis au classement du championnat professionnel de Pro D2 de la saison en cours [...] Cette sanction a été prononcée au motif du « non-respect des dispositions réglementaires et décisions de la CCCP ».
5. "Pro D2 : l'US Montauban sanctionnée de cinq points de retrait pour la prochaine saison !" [Pro D2: US Montauban sanctioned with five withdrawal points for the next season!]. La Dépêche (in French). 20 May 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
6. "Le Groupe Pro" (in French). Retrieved 12 September 2023.

External links

• Official website