Valence Romans Drôme Rugby

Valence Romans
Full nameValence Romans Drôme Rugby
Nickname(s)VRDR
Les Damiers (The Chequered Ones)
Founded1908
Location4 rue Chevalier
26100 Romans-sur-Isère
Ground(s)Stade Marcel Guillermoz
Stade Georges Pompidou (Capacity: 5,000 / 15,128)
PresidentJean-Louis Darlay
Coach(es)Cédric Chaubeau
Christophe Espinas
League(s)Pro D2
2024–258th
Team kit
Official website
www.usrp.tv

Valence Romans Drôme Rugby (formerly L’Union sportive romanaise and péageoise) is a French rugby union club based in Romans-sur-Isère (Drôme). For the 2023–24 season they will be playing in Pro D2, the second tier of the country's professional rugby system, having been promoted from Nationale.

History

L’US romanaise and péageoise was founded in 1908 as the sport association of two town on both side of the Isère, Romans-sur-Isère and Bourg-de-Péage. Le club was the formed by a lot of worker of Shoes's factory. After the Second World War, the club was promoted in Top 16 and reach two times the semifinals (1954 and 1955), and in 1969 reach again the quarter of finals. This defined US Romans as one of the strongest French club in the 70's. In 1976, the "Damiers" (nickname of the players) lost the quarter of final against the future champion, Agen, and 1977 lost the semifinals against Perpignan (6-9). For eight consecutive years, Romans will pass the first round of the Championship. A first relegation in "Groupe B" in 1988, was followed by a return in "Group A". in 1990. In 1992, the club was again relegated. In 1995 Romans lost the "Groupe B1" final against FC Lourdes (a stunning match closed 37–36). A lot of famous French player have played at USRP in the past: like Arnaldo Gruarin, Robert Soro and Philippe Saint-André.

Now the club play in Fédérale 1, the third level of French rugby union system, after some year in the lower Fédérale 2. In 2018-19 they were promoted from Fédérale 1 into Rugby Pro D2. They now are called Valence Romans Drôme Rugby.

Current standings

2024–25 Pro D2 Table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Grenoble 30 21 0 9 987 677 +310 11 3 98 Semi-final promotion playoff place
2 Brive 30 20 0 10 764 615 +149 10 4 94
3 Colomiers 30 18 1 11 926 778 +148 7 5 86 Quarter-final promotion playoff place
4 Provence 30 17 1 12 818 722 +96 7 5 82
5 Soyaux Angoulême 30 17 2 11 761 727 +34 6 2 80
6 Montauban 30 17 0 13 781 762 +19 4 5 77
7 Béziers 30 16 0 14 769 695 +74 7 6 77
8 30 13 0 17 840 782 +58 4 8 64
9 Biarritz 30 14 0 16 718 757 −39 4 5 64
10 Nevers 30 14 0 16 706 857 −151 3 3 62
11 Dax 30 13 1 16 634 745 −111 3 4 61
12 Oyonnax 30 12 1 17 749 716 +33 6 5 61
13 Mont-de-Marsan 30 13 0 17 768 838 −70 3 5 60
14 Agen 30 12 0 18 699 727 −28 3 8 59
15 Aurillac 30 13 0 17 700 873 −173 2 3 57 Relegation play-off
16 Nice 30 7 0 23 592 941 −349 1 6 35 Relegation to Nationale
Updated to match(es) played on 16 May 2025. Source: [1]

Current squad

The Soyaux Angouleme squad for the 2024–25 season is:[1][2]

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

Player Position Union
Cyril Deligny Hooker France
Brice Humbert Hooker France
Dorian Marco-Pena Hooker France
Anthony Aleo Prop France
Esteban Chouteau Prop France
Kevin Goze Prop France
Gareth Milasinovich Prop South Africa
Andrea Pontanier Prop France
Julien Royer Prop France
Vincent Vial Prop Switzerland
Florian Goumat Lock France
Nathan Huguen Lock France
Yassine Maamry Lock Morocco
Ryan McCauley Lock Australia
Darren O'Shea Lock Ireland
Sven Bernat Girlando Back row France
Thembelani Bholi Back row South Africa
Axel Bruchet Back row France
Otar Giorgadze Back row Georgia
Philippe Laville Back row France
Eloi Massot Back row France
Loan Real Back row France
Adrien Roux Back row France
Ilia Spanderashvili Back row Georgia
Matthieu Vachon Back row France
Player Position Union
Paul Dumas Scrum-half France
Thomas Lhusero Scrum-half France
Tim Menzel Scrum-half Germany
Lucas Méret Fly-half France
Joris Moura Fly-half Portugal
Matteo Rodor Fly-half France
Matthieu Guillomot Centre France
Louis Marrou Centre France
Ben Neiceru Centre Fiji
Anatole Pauvert Centre France
Esteban Tercq Centre France
Owen Lane Wing Wales
Mosese Mawalu Wing Fiji
Gauthier Minguillón Wing Spain
Thomas Rozière Wing France
Adam Vargas Wing France
Charles Bouldoire Fullback France
George Worth Fullback England

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
Tom Nublat Hooker France
Enzo Bailly Prop France
Theo Faure Prop France
Chuck Odum Prop Nigeria
Talat Sahin Prop France
Semi Ramacake Lock Fiji
Ethan Millot Back row France
Hugo Quiros Back row France
Player Position Union
Adrien Martin Fly-half France
Gabriel Blaye Centre France
Amaury Dufouleur Centre France
Jack Hopson Centre England
Finn Douglas Wing Scotland
Alban Gomez Wing France
Francesco Imberti Fullback Italy
Yoann Pain Fullback France

Achievements

  • Championnat of France Première Division
    • Semifinalist : 1954, 1955, 1977
    • Quart of Final : 1976
    • Eights of Finalist : 1978, 1981,
    • 16th of Final : 1975, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1986
  • Championnat of France Première Division Groupe B1
    • Finalist : 1995
  • Championnat of France 2nd division série
    • Finalist: 1959
  • Championnat of France Reichel
    • Winner : 1983
  • Championnat of France Crabos
    • Winner : 1974
  • Championnat of France Cadet
    • Finalist: 1998
    • Winner : 1989
    • Finalist : 1979
  • Championnat of France Minimes
    • Finalist : 1998
  • Championnat of France Nationale B
    • Finalist 2009
    • Semifinalist 2010
    • Semifinalist 2011
  • Challenge Gaudermen (Cadets)
    • Winner : 1989
    • Semifinalist : 1979

Other competitions

  • Winner of Challenge of l'Espérance (1) : 1956
  • Finalist du Challenge of l'Espérance (1) : 1992

Famous players

  • Jacky Bouquet
  • Gilles Darlet
  • Roger Gensane
  • Nicolas of Grégorio
  • Arnaldo Gruarin
  • Marcel Guilermoz
  • Jean-Claude Juzon
  • Igor Juzon
  • Paul Lafourcade
  • Yves Menthillier
  • Jacques Servien
  • Claude Mignacabal
  • Jean-Claude Mignacabal
  • Lucien Rouffia
  • Philippe Saint-André
  • Raphaël Saint-André
  • Bernard Saubesty
  • Robert Soro
  • Albert Urquizu
  • Gérard Verdoulet
  • Jean-Luc Bailly

References

  1. ^ "Effectif". VRDR (in French). Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  2. ^ "Valence Romans squad for season 2024/2025". all.rugby. Retrieved 2024-07-23.