Stade Toulousain: France

Stade Toulousain, usually known as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from the country’s rugby capital, Toulouse in Midi-Pyrenees. The club has won the European top club competition, the Heineken Cup, three times (1996, 2003 and 2005) and were losing finalists in 2004. The club has produced over 90 internationals.

The club was founded in 1890 out of the rugby section of a sports club. Its original name was Stade Olympien des Etudiants Toulousains, which roughly translates to Olympian Stade of the Toulouse Students, but it was renamed Stade Toulousain in 1907.

They play at the Stade Ernest-Wallon, with a capacity of 20,000 or at Stade de Toulouse that has a capacity of 37,000. They wear red and black.

History

The club was founded in 1890 as the “Olympian Stade of the Toulouse Students”. Under this name, the club made its first final appearance at the championship of France in 1903 in Toulouse, being defeated by Stade Français, a club which had already six titles in the short competition history before the encounter with Toulouse.

The club soon became known as Stade Toulousain. In 1909, the club made its first finals appearance under its new title, again being defeated in the final of the Ligue_Nationale_de_Rugby championship. The club lost 17 points to nil. Only three years later would the club be participating in another final, against the Metro-Racing club. After two disappointing finals, Toulouse finally got their championship, winning 8 points to 6 in front of a home crowd.

Although it would be over a decade until Toulouse claimed another championship, the 1920s were a golden era for the club. Their first final action in the 1920s was in 1921, when they were defeated USA Perpignan. Despite loosing in 21′, the side went on to win the 1922, 1923, 1924, 1926 and 1927 championships.

The following decades were relatively quiet after such a dominant era during the 1920s. Toulouse would not make it to any grand finals during the 1930s, and it would not be until the late 1940s when they would return. The club made it to the final of the 1947 championship, and claimed the premiership, beating SU Agen, 10 to 3. However, no such championships followed, the club was again relatively quiet on the championship. It was 22 years in the waiting; Toulouse made it to the final, but were defeated by the CA Begles club.

11 years later the club was again disappointed in the final, being defeated by AS Beziers in the championship game of 1980. The latter end of the decade was however, reminiscent of the 1920s sides. Toulouse claimed their first championship since 1947, defeating RC Toulon in the 1985 final. The following season saw them successfully defend their championship, defeating SU Agen in the final. Both Toulon and Agen won the following premierships but Toulouse won another championship in 1989.

The dominance continued in the 1990s, starting with a grand final loss in 1991. The mid 1990s saw Toulouse become a huge force yet again, as the club claimed four premierships in a row, winning the championship in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997. The club emmulated its success in the European Rugby Cup, becoming the first ever champions in the 1995-96 season.

The late 1990s and the new millennia saw the club again reach great heights. The club won the 1999 championship as well as the 2001 championship and were runners-up in the 2003 season, losing to Stade Français in the final. As the club had done in the mid 1990s, Toulouse replicated this success in the European Rugby Cup, winning the 2002-03 championship and the 2004-05 championship, making them the only club to ever win the title three times. Toulouse is also the only European club to have taken part in all the editions of Heineken Cup since its creation (that is to say eleven, with the season 2005/2006).

Stadium

The Stade Ernest-Wallon stadium was built in the late 1980s and was recently renovated. It has a capacity of 19,500. The stadium however cannot always accommodate all the fans of the Toulouse club. For the larger fixtures, such as championships or Heineken Cup games or play-offs, the fixture may be moved to Stade de Toulouse, which has double capacity, 38,000.

Club honours
French premiership 1912 1922 1923 1924 1926 1927 1947 1985 1986 1989 1994 1995 1996 1997 1999 2001
French cup 1934 1988 1993 1995 1998
Heineken Cup 1996 2003 2005

Famous players

Yves Bergougnan
François Borde
Christian Califano
Thomas Castaignede
Denis Charvet
Christophe Deylaud
Adolphe Jaureguy
Frederic Michalak
Hugo Mola
Guy Noves
Emile N’Tamack
Fabien Pelous
Jean-Pierre Rives
Jean-Claude Skrela
Gareth Thomas (Wales)
Pierre Villepreux