Lyon OU
Encyclopedia
Lyon Olympique Universitaire or LOU is a French
rugby union team that competes in the Top 14, the first level of the country's professional league system. They earned their spot in the Top 14 by winning the 2010–11
title of the second-tier Pro D2
.
They were founded in 1896 and play in red and black. They are based in Lyon
in Rhône-Alpes
, and play at the Stade Vuillermet
, in Lyon
.
The club developed several sections (it now has 13), one the most successful being the rugby union section, which is now known as LOU Rugby. The rugby club took part in three successive French championship finals (1931–33), losing the first one to RC Toulon (3-6) but winning the next two against RC Narbonne
(9-3 and 10-3). It then played in lower amateur leagues until it was promoted back to the second professional division (Pro D2
). In 2006-07, it had the second biggest budget of the championship and its ambition was to rejoin the Top 14 in the next two years, under the leadership of their coach Christian Lanta, who formerly led Racing Club de France, Italian club Treviso
and SU Agen
. However, they would not succeed in their promotion quest until 2011.
(from
Stade Français) Mark van Gisbergen (from 
London Wasps
) Arnauld Tchougong (from CS Bourgoin-Jallieu
) Arnaud Marchois
(from Stade Français) Anthony Roux (from US Colomiers
) Sisa Koyamaibole
(from Sale Sharks
) Coenie Basson (from CS Bourgoin-Jallieu
) Ricky Januarie
(from
Stormers
)
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
rugby union team that competes in the Top 14, the first level of the country's professional league system. They earned their spot in the Top 14 by winning the 2010–11
2010–11 Rugby Pro D2 season
Agen, who had been a favorite for promotion ever since they were relegated at the end of the 2006–07 season, finally lived up to the expectations and dominated the championship from the start, finishing with a comfortable 11-point margin over 2nd-placed Lyon and thus earning promotion to the...
title of the second-tier Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
.
They were founded in 1896 and play in red and black. They are based in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
in Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...
, and play at the Stade Vuillermet
Stade Vuillermet
Stade Vuillermet is a sports stadium in Lyon, Rhône-Alpes in France. The stadium was mostly used for rugby union by Lyon OU, until the club moved to Matmut Stadium in November 2011.-External links:*...
, in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
.
History
Le LOU, as it is traditionally known, is one of the oldest sports clubs in France and among the first outside Paris to have set up a rugby section. The club’s original name was Racing Club, the result of a merger of the Racing Club de Vaise and the Rugby Club de Lyon. It was renamed Racing et Cercles Réunis in 1902 after several other clubs joined it, then a few months later Lyon Olympique. Finally, in 1910, it became Lyon Olympique Universitaire. The red and black were adopted in 1902.The club developed several sections (it now has 13), one the most successful being the rugby union section, which is now known as LOU Rugby. The rugby club took part in three successive French championship finals (1931–33), losing the first one to RC Toulon (3-6) but winning the next two against RC Narbonne
RC Narbonne
Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée is a French rugby union club that play in the second-level Rugby Pro D2, after finishing at the bottom of the 2006-07 Top 14 table....
(9-3 and 10-3). It then played in lower amateur leagues until it was promoted back to the second professional division (Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
). In 2006-07, it had the second biggest budget of the championship and its ambition was to rejoin the Top 14 in the next two years, under the leadership of their coach Christian Lanta, who formerly led Racing Club de France, Italian club Treviso
Benetton Rugby Treviso
Benetton Rugby Treviso are an Italian professional rugby union club currently competing in the RaboDirect Pro12 and the Heineken Cup.They are based in Treviso in Veneto, and owned by the Benetton clothing company....
and SU Agen
SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne
Sporting Union Agen Lot-et-Garonne is a French rugby union club based in Agen in the department of Lot-et-Garonne. They currently play in the top flight of French professional rugby, Top 14; they were most recently promoted after winning the 2010 title in the second-level Pro D2. Agen also...
. However, they would not succeed in their promotion quest until 2011.
Honours
- Champion de France:
- Champions 1932, 1933
- Runners-up: 1931
- Rugby Pro D2Rugby Pro D2Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
:- Champions: 20112010–11 Rugby Pro D2 seasonAgen, who had been a favorite for promotion ever since they were relegated at the end of the 2006–07 season, finally lived up to the expectations and dominated the championship from the start, finishing with a comfortable 11-point margin over 2nd-placed Lyon and thus earning promotion to the...
- Champions: 2011
- Challenge Yves du ManoirChallenge Yves du ManoirThe Challenge Yves du Manoir was a rugby union club competition that was played in France between 1931 and 2003 under different names. It is named after former player Yves du Manoir.-History:...
:- Champions: 1933
- Fédérale 1Fédérale 1Le championnat de France de première division fédérale, a.k.a. Fédérale 1, is a French rugby union club competition, the highest level of amateur rugby. The competition has been organised by the Fédération Française de Rugby since 2000, when it replaced the B2 Group...
:- Champions: 2002
- Deuxième Division:
- Champions: 1989, 1992
French championship
| Date | Winner | Runner-up | Score | Venue | Spectators |
| 10 May 1931 | RC Toulon | Lyon OU | 6-3 | Parc Lescure, Bordeaux Bordeaux Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture... |
10,000 |
| 5 May 1932 | Lyon OU | RC Narbonne | 9-3 | Parc Lescure, Bordeaux Bordeaux Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture... |
13,000 |
| 7 May 1933 | Lyon OU | RC Narbonne RC Narbonne Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée is a French rugby union club that play in the second-level Rugby Pro D2, after finishing at the bottom of the 2006-07 Top 14 table.... |
10-3 | Parc Lescure, Bordeaux Bordeaux Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture... |
15,000 |
Challenge Yves du Manoir
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
| 1932 | SU Agen SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne Sporting Union Agen Lot-et-Garonne is a French rugby union club based in Agen in the department of Lot-et-Garonne. They currently play in the top flight of French professional rugby, Top 14; they were most recently promoted after winning the 2010 title in the second-level Pro D2. Agen also... |
round robin | Lyon OU |
| 1933 | Lyon OU | round robin | SU Agen SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne Sporting Union Agen Lot-et-Garonne is a French rugby union club based in Agen in the department of Lot-et-Garonne. They currently play in the top flight of French professional rugby, Top 14; they were most recently promoted after winning the 2010 title in the second-level Pro D2. Agen also... |
Current squad
Players In
Juan Manuel LeguizamónJuan Manuel Leguizamón
Juan Manuel Leguizamón is an Argentine rugby union footballer. He used to play for the London Irish club in the English league Guinness Premiership. In the summer of 2008 he signed for Stade Français due to a perceived lack of game time. He has also played for the Argentina national team, Los Pumas...
(from
Stade Français) Mark van Gisbergen (from London WaspsLondon Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
) Arnauld Tchougong (from
CS Bourgoin-JallieuCS Bourgoin-Jallieu
CS Bourgoin-Jallieu is a French rugby union club currently competing in the second level of the French league system in the Pro D2. The club have been runners-up in the French championship and the Challenge Yves du Manoir competitions, and have won the Challenge Cup.Founded in 1906 as "Club...
) Arnaud Marchois
Arnaud Marchois
Arnaud Marchois is a French rugby union footballer, currently playing for Lyon OU in the top division of French rugby, the Top 14. His usual position is as a Lock. Prior to joining Lyon OU he played for Stade Français witch he won Top 14 in 2003, 2004 and 2007.-External links:*...
(from
Stade Français) Anthony Roux (from US ColomiersUS Colomiers
US Colomiers is a French rugby union club currently competing in Fédérale 1, the third level of the French rugby pyramid. They had been relegated from Pro D2 after finishing last in the 2006-07 season, but earned promotion from Fédérale 1 at the first opportunity in 2007-08, and survived a...
) Sisa Koyamaibole
Sisa Koyamaibole
Sisaro Dautu Koyamaibole is a Fijian rugby union player. His usual position is number eight. Koyamaibole has been capped 38 times by| Fiji, including playing in the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups, and has played for the country in rugby sevens tournaments...
(from
Sale SharksSale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
) Coenie Basson (from
CS Bourgoin-JallieuCS Bourgoin-Jallieu
CS Bourgoin-Jallieu is a French rugby union club currently competing in the second level of the French league system in the Pro D2. The club have been runners-up in the French championship and the Challenge Yves du Manoir competitions, and have won the Challenge Cup.Founded in 1906 as "Club...
) Ricky Januarie
Ricky Januarie
Enrico "Ricky" Januarie is a South African rugby union scrum-half. Formerly of the Lions, he signed with the Stormers, in the Vodacom Super 14 in 2008. He was also a member of the national Springboks squad. He announced his retirement from international rugby on 24 July 2011...
(from
StormersStormers
The Stormers, for sponsorship reasons referred to as DHL Stormers, are a South African rugby union team based in Cape Town competing in the Super Rugby competition . Despite their lack of silverware over the years, their home stadium, Newlands, typically draws the highest average attendance figures...
)